of Paris the xxiiij day of this present moneth of August least the said deede should be otherwise disguised and reported than it was in deede his Maiestie therfore declareth that which was done was by his expresse commaundement for no cause of Religion nor breaking his Edictes of Pacification which he alwayes entended and still mindetâ— and entendeth to obserue and keepe yea it was rather done to withstand and preuent a most detestable and curssed conspiracie begon by the sayd Admirall the chiefe captaine therof and his sayd adherents and complices against the kings person his estate the Queene his mother and the Princes his brethren the King of Nauarre and other Lordes about him VVherefore his Maiestie by this declaration and ordinaunce giueth to vnderstand to all Gentlemen and others of the Reliâ—gion which they pretend refourmed that he minâ—deth and purposeth that they shall liue vnder his protection with their wiues and children in their houses in as much safegarde as they did before folowing the benefite of the former Edictes of Pacification most expressely commaunding and ordaining that all Gouernours and Lieutenants generall in euerie of his Countreyes and Prouinces â–ª and other Iustices and Officers to whom it appertaineth do not attempt nor suffer to be attempted and thing in what sort soeuer vpon the persons and goodes of them of the Religion their wiues children and families on paine of death against the faultie and culpable in this behalfe And neuerthelesse to withstande the troubles slaunders suspicions and defiances that may come by sermons and assemblies aswell in the houses of the sayde Gentlemen as in other places as it is suffred by the sayde Edictes of Pacification it is expressely forbidden and inhibited by his Maiestie to all Gentlemen and others of the sayd Religion to haue no assemblies for any cause at all vntill his Maiestie hath prouided and appointed otherwise for the tranquillitie of his Realme vpon paine of disobedience and confiscation of bodie and goods It is also expressely forbidden vnder the paine aforesayd that for the foresayd occasions none shall take or retaine any prisoners or take raunsome of them and that incontinently they certifie the gouernours of euerie prouince and the Lieutenante generall of the name qualitie of euerie such prisoner whome his Maiestie hath appointed shall be released and set at libertie except they be of the chiefe of the late conspiracie or such as haue made some practise or deuise for them or â—ad intelligence thereof and they shall aduertise his Maiestie of such to know his further pleasure It is also ordained that from henceforth none shall take or arrest any prisoner for that cause without his Maiesties commaundement or his Officers nor that none be suffred to roame abroade in the fieldes to take vp dogs Cattell Beefes Kine or other beastes goods fruites graine nor any thing else nor to hurt the labourers by word or deede but to let them alone about their worke and calling in peace and safetie At Paris the .xxviij. of August 1572. Signed CHARLES and vnderneath FIZES THE KINGS LETTERS TO the officers of Burges of the same argument that the former declaration was OVr trustie and welbeloued we considering that vnder the colour of the death of the Admiral and his adherents and complices certaine Gentlemen and others our subiectes professing the Religion called Refourmed might rise and assemble together to the preiudice and hinderance of the tranquillitie which we haue alwayes desired shuld be in our Realme the doyng of the said murder being counterfeited and giuen out otherwise than it was VVe haue therefore made a declaration ordinance which we sâ—nd you willing you to publishe the same incontinently by sounde of Trumpet and setting the same vp in such places of your Iurisdiction where cryes and Proclamations are vsually made to the ende that euery one mighte knowe it And although we haue alwayes bene diligent obseruers of our Edicts of Pacification yet seyng the troubles and seditions which might arise amongst our subiects by the occasion of the sayd murder as well of the Admirall as of his companions we commaunde you and ordeine that you particularly forbid the principals of the Religion pretended refourmed within your Iurisdiction that they haue no sermons nor assemblies either in their houses or in any other places to take away all doubt and suspition which might be conceyued against them And likewise that you aduertise such as dwell in the Cities of your Iurisdiction what you iudge meete to be done to the intent they might in this poynt follow our mind and kepe them quiet in their houses as they may do by the benefite of our Edict of Pacification there they shall be vnder our protection and safegarde but if they will not so retyre themselues after you haue giuen them warning then shall you set on them with all strength and force aswell by the prouostes of the Marishals their Archers as others which you can gather together by Bell ringing or otherwise so that you bewe them all to peeces as enimyes to our Crowne Besides what commaundements so euer we haue sent by worde of mouth eyther to you or others in our Realme when we were in feare vpon iuste occasion knowing the conspiracie that the Admirall had begon of some mischaunce that might fall vnto vs we haue and do reuoke willing you and others that no such thing be executed for such is our pleasure Giuen at Paris the .xxx. of August 1572. Thus signed CHARLES and vnderneath De Neuf-ville Published in iudgement REMEMBRAVNCES AND INstructions sent by the King to the Counte of Charny his general Lieutenant in Burgundie of the same argument THe King considering the commotion lately happened in Paris wherein the L. Admirall Chastilion with other Gentlemen of his side were slaine bicause they had mischeuously conspired to set vpon the Kings Maiestie person the Queene his mother the Princes his brethren the King of Nauarre and other Princes and Lordes neare about them and vpon his estate and least they of the Religion called refourmed not knowing the true causes of the sayde rebellion should arise and put them selues in armes as they haue done in the troubles that he passed and deuise newe practises and fetches against the weale of his Maiestie and tranquillitie of his Realme if he should not cause the truth of the matter to be knowne to all Gentlemen and others his subiects of the saâ—e religion how it passed and what his pleasure and mind is in their behalfes And thinking that for remedie hereof it is verie needefull for the Gouernours of the Prouinces in his Realme to go rounde aboute their gouernementes for this occasion he willâ—â—h that the Counte of Charnye greaâ—e Eâ—qâ—ire of Fraunce and his Maiesties Lieutenant generall for the gouernement of Burgundie shall go diligently through all Cities and places of the sayde gouernement and as he arriueth in euery plâ—ce he shall deuise the best wayes that he can to make peace
vnion and quietnesse amongst the Kings subiectes as well of the one Religion as of the other And to bring it the better about he shall gently call before him in open or priuate place as he shall see best cause for his Maiesties seruice herein the Gentlemen of the places and the Burgeses of the Cities of his gouernement that be of the Religion and shal declare vnto them cause them to vnderstand the truth of the sayd commotion least any haue misreported it to them otherwise than it was in deede And shall tell them that vnder the colour of the L. Admirals hurte wherefore his Maiestie would haue caused iusticâ— to be done according to the good order that he had appointed the sayde Admirall and Gentlemen of his Religion which were in the Citie with him without looking for the execution of the sayde Iustice had made a mischeuous vnhappie and detestable conspiracie against the Kings Maiesties person the Queene his mother the Lordes his brethreÌ„ the King of Nauarre and other Princes Lords with them and against the whole estate euen as certaine of the chiefe and adherents of the sayd cospiracie acknowledging their faulâ— haue confessed VVherfore his Maiestie was constrayned to his great griefe to resiste and preuent so mischieuous pernicious and abhominable a purpose And that which he suffered to be done on Sunday the .xxiiij of August vpon the Admiral and his complices was not for any Religion nor to goe against the Edict of Pacification he entending neuerthelesse that they of the Religion should still liue and abyde in all libertie and safetie with their wiues childreÌ„ and families in their houses as be hath and will maintaine them if they be content to liue quietly vnder his obedience as he desireth For the which cause he willeth that the Counte Charnye shall offer and giue to them his letters of safe garde in good and authensâ—yke fourme which shal be of as good force and vertue as if they shoulde come or be taken from his owne Maiestie and by the authoritie of them they shall be preserued from all wrongs violences and oppressions enjoyning and forbidding most expressely all his catholike subiects whatso euer they are to attempt nothing vpon the persons goods or families of anye of the Religion which kepe themselues quietly in their houses on paine of death And if any be so rashe or euil aduised to do against this Iniunction or to violate the safegard promysed his Maiestie willeth that readie and rigorous punishment be donâ— to the intent that their example may serue to holde in others not to doe the like which is the true and onely meanes of assurance that his Maiestie can giue to them of the Religion with his word and promise which he giueth them to be their good and benigne Prince protector and preseruer of them and of all that toucheth them so long as they liue and continue vnder his obedience without doyng or enterprising any thing against his will and seruice And bicause his Maiestie hath ofteÌ„ knoweÌ„ that the enterprises and coÌ„sultations taken in hand by them of the Religion against his seruice haue bene concluded amongs them as assemblies at seâ—mons which Gentlemen had libertie to cause to be made in their houses and Lordships therfore my L of Charnye shal particularly giue to vnderstand to Gentlemen which were wont to haue such sermons that his Maiestie in consideration that nothing hath more moued and set on the Catholikes against those of the Religion thaÌ„ such preachings and assemblies and if they continue it is certaine that it wil be a cause to encrease and maintaine the sayd commotions desireth that they should cause them to cease off vntill he hath otherwise prouided and appointed and that they applie themselues herevnto as a thing greatly seruing the effect of his intention which is gently to bring his sayd subiects to a true and perfect amitie vnion and concord one with another committing all diuisions and partialities to obliuion And bicause this may seme â—ard at the begiÌ„ning my L. of Charnye shall cause it to be faire and gently spoken to them least they enter into some straunge coniecture or suspition For so his saide Maiestie would proceede in all true sinceritie towardes them which conforme them selues to his will and obedience wherin he exhorteth them to liue with all the best perswasions that he can and shall assure them in so doyng to be surely maintained and preseued as his other subiects the Catholikes as his Maiestie would that he shoulde doe And to the intent his sayd subiects the Catholikes should knowe howe to vse and behaue them selues herein my L. of Charnye shall tell theÌ„ that his Maiesties pleasure neither is nor hath bene that any wrong or oppression should be done to them of the sayde Religion which like good and loyall subiects will gently kepe themselues vnder â—is obedience Declaring vnto the sayd Catholikes that if they forget themselues and hurt those of the Religion which in such sort behaue themselues toward his Maiestie and those also which for that ende haue receiued of his Maiestie or of my L. of Charnye letters of safeconduite he will cause them to be punished and chastised in the fielde as trangressours of his commaundementes without any hope of grace pardon or remision VVhich the sayd L. of Charnye shall expresse and declare vnto them with as plaine words as is possible and cause it also to be as straightly executed And after that following his Maiesties intent he hath pacified them by this meanes which is the waye that his Maiestie best liketh of searched the di ectioÌ„ to assure a traÌ„quillitie betwixt the subiâ—ctes and to set some assuraunce betwixt the one and the other such as shall conforme themselues herein to his sayd Maiesties will he will comfort and make them the beste and most gentle entertainement that he possibly can But if any of the Religion become selfe willed and stubborne to his Maiestie without hauing regarde to his sayde warnings and shall assemble in armes together making practises and deuises against the weale of his seruice then the L. of Charnye shall runne vpon them and hewe them in pieces before they haue power to fortifie them selues and ioyne together And therfore he shall assemble as muche force as he can as well of the ordinarie as of other men of warre Souldiers Footemen of the garrisons and inhabitants of the Catholikes within the Cities of his gouernement and shall besiege them which holde and make them selues strong in Cities about of his gouernement so that the victorie and authoritie may remaine in his Maiestie At Paris the .xxx. of August 1572. Signed CHARLES and vnderneath BRVLARD THE KINGS LETTERS TO the L. of Gwich wherby it may plainely be perceiued how they would search out all them of the Religion which had anye charge in hand during the troubles MY L of Gwiche I vnderstand that the iij. brethren Daggonels and one Porâ—â—er the host at the
kepe you in his holie tuition VVritten from Paris the .xxviij. of September 1572. Signed CHARLES And vnderneath BRVLART REMEMBRANCES SENT BY the King to all gouernours and Lieutenantes of his Prouinces to put out and remoue all those of the Religion from their estates and charges although they would abiure the same sauing such as haue but small estates and offices to whom his Maiestie permitteth continuance on conditioÌ„ that they abiure the sayd Religion according to the forme of Abiuration sent for that purpose THe King considering how much his officers and Magistrates of Iustice and such as haue the administration and dealing of his Fynes and payments which be of the newe Religion are suspect and hated and put his Catholike subiects in great mistrust if they should presently exercise their offices after these freshe commotions for cause that the sayd offices be in their handes that nowe kepe them therfore least the people shoulde therby be brought to a newe occasion of stirre they of the new Religion be in dauÌ„ger or bazard of their owne persons although they woulde abiure their sayde newe Religion and professe the holy faith and Catholike Religion of Rome his Maiestie desiring to auoyde the new mischiefes and troubles which maye come hath aduised to discharge the sayd officers from the exercise of the sayde offices vntill he shall otherwise appoint And yet neuerthelesse in the meane while if the sayde officers be obediente vnto his will and liue quietly in their houses withoute attempting practising or taking any thing in hande against his seruice they shall receiue their wages and they that will resigne their sayd offices to Catholike persons and come to his Maiestie shal be verie honorably prouided for And as touching other small offices without wages which cannot be troublesome as Notaries Sergeants and such where the officers haue none authoritie which caÌ„not be so odious nor mistrustfull to the people as the other his Maiestie is aduised that such smal officers which will abiure the sayd newe Religion and professe the faith Catholike Apostolike and Romishe and therin liue continually hereafter shall continue in the exercise and enioying of their estates but they that will continue in their newe opinion shall depart from their offices vntill his Maiestie hath otherwise prouided And this is for the great mischiefe and inconuenience that maye betyde them if they shoulde exercise their sayd estates bicause of the great mistrust and suspition which the Catholikes haue conceiued of them of the newe Religion Neuerthelesse his Maiestie well considering that the moste part of the sayd officers haue none other way to liue but the exercise of their said offices willeth that they shall be in thoyse to resigne to Catholike and capable persons and then to come to him for that effect and he will graunt them the greatest fauour and moderation of his treasorie that is possible The which resolution and pleasure of his Maiestie he willeth to be declared to the sayd officers of the new pretended opinion as well by gouernours and Lieutenants generall of his Prouinces as by them of his Courtes of Parliament of the Chamber of his accomptes of the Court of his aydes them of his great Counsell of the Treasorie of Fraunce the Generals of his Fynes his Baylifes Seneshals Prouosts Iudges or their Lieutenants and euery one of them as shall appertaine And to this intent his Maiestie willeth and intendeth that euery one of them in their calling shall send particularly and apart for euery of the sayd officers of the newe Religion which be of their incorporation charge and Jurisdiction and shall admonish then in this behalfe to conforme them selues to his Maiesties minde and if any of them in authoritie bicause of their said estates wil returne to the bosome of the Catholike and Romish Church it shall be sayd to them that his Maiestie liketh verie well of it and that he taketh a great and singular affection therein and that it shall giue him the greater assurance and credit of their good will and that his Maiestie will not bar theÌ„ from his seruice hereafter but will prouide for them as their behauiour shall deserue And notwithstanding for the reasons abouesayd he willeth that they shall cease from the exercise of their estates and offices vntil he otherwise appointeth And bicause that in many places of the Realme they haue proceeded by way of seasing the goods of them of the newe Religion which be deade or absente and hide themselues and sometymes of those which be in their owne houses although his Maiestie gaue to vnderstande by his declarration of the .xxviij. of August last that be would and intended that they of the new Religion should enioy their goods neuerthelesse to the intent there should be no doubt of his purpose and that no mistrust might arise thervpon he declareth willeth and intendeth againe that according to his declaration of the .xxviij. of August they of the newe Religion which be lyuing whether they be present or absent and be not culpable or charged with the last conspiration or to haue attempted against his Maiestie or his estate since his Edict of Pacification shal be restored to their houses and put in possession of all singular their goode moueable or vnmoueable And that the wydowes and heyres of them that be deade may and shall succede them and appres bend all and singular their goodes and that they shal be mainteined in them and kepte vnder the protection and safegard of his Maiestie so that no hurte shal be done or sayd vnto them in any maner of wyse or sort VVilling for this purpose that all necessarie suretie shal be giuen them and that all officers Magistrates Mayors and others which haue publike charge shall maintaine them in al safetie forbidding al persons of what estate qualitie or condition so euer they be not to hurt them in person or goodâ—s vppon paine of deatâ— And neuerthelesse his Maiestie willeth that they of the newe opinion shall submit themselues and promise vpon paine to be declared rebells and traiâ— tours to his Maiestie that they shall hereafter liue vnder his obedience without attempting any thing to the contrarie or taking their parts that do attempt against his Maiestie and estate or things against his ordinances and to acknowledge none but his Maiestie or such as he shall appoint vnder him to haue authoritie to commaund them And if they knowe any that shall enterprise against his Maiestie and service to reueale them incontinent to him and his officers as good and faithfull subiects And to take away all doubte and suspicion as wel from the nobilitie as others bicause that in the declaration of the â–ª xxiiij of the last moneth these wordes are contained Except they be those of the chiefe which had commaundement for those of the newe opinion or those which made practises and deuises for them or those which might haue had intelligence of the sayd conspiracie His Maiestie declareth that he
of diuine seruice and to assist the same which I thinke be to drawe Christian people to pitie and turning to their God as fasting absteyning from meates obseruation of holy dayes and ecclesiasticall pollicie according to the tradition of the Apostles and holy Fathers continued since the primitiue Church till this time and afterwards brought into the Church by the ordinances of Counsels receiued in the same of long and auncient time or of late be good and holy to the whiche I will and ought to obey as prescribed appointed by the holy ghost the author and director of that which serueth for the keping of Christian Religion and of the Catholike Apostolike and Romaine Church I beleeue also and accepte all the articles of originall sinne and of Iustification I affirme assuredly that we ought to haue and kepe the Images of Iesus Christ of his holy mother and all other saincts and doe honor and reuerence vnto them I confesse the power of indulgence and pardons to be left in the Church by Iesus Christ and the vse of thē to be verie healthfull as also I acknowledge and confesse the Church of Rome to be the mother and chief of all Churches and conducted by the holy ghost and that other pretended particular inspirations against the same come of the suggestion of the Deuill the Prince of dissention which woulde separate the vnion of the mysticall body of the sauiour of the worlde Finally I promise straightly to keepe all that was ordayned at the last generall councell of Trent and promise to God and you neuer more to depart from the Catholike Apostolike and Romaine Church and if I do which God forbid I submit my selfe to the penalties of the canons of the sayd Church made ordeyned and appointed against them which fall backe into Apostasie The which Abiuration and Confession I haue subscribed THE KINGES LETTER TO M. de Guyse and other Lieutenantes and Gouernors of his Prouinces by the which he wholly abolisheth and subuerteth al the Edictes of Pacification and willeth that onely the Romishe Religion shoulde take place in his Realme THe King knowing that the declaration which he made vpon the occasions which lately chaūced in the Citie of Paris the remebrances and instructiōs of his will which be sent round about to all Gouernours of his Prouinces and Lieutenants generall therin and particular letters to the Seneshals and his Courts of Parliament and other officers and Ministers of Iustice can not his therto staye the course of murders and robberies done in the most part of the cities of this Realme to his Maiesties great displeasure hath aduised for a more singular remedie to send all the sayde Gouernours into euery of their charges and gouernements assuring him selfe that according to the qualitie and power which they haue of his Maiestie they can well followe and obserue his intent the which more fully to declare his Maiestie hath caused his letters patentes to be dispatched which shal be deliuered them Besides the contentes wherof M. de Guise the gouernour Lieutenant generall for his Maiestie in Champaigne and Brye shall call before him the gentles men of the newe Religion abyding within his gouernement and shall tell them that the Kings wil and intent is to preserue them their wyues children and families and to mayntaine them in possession of their goods so that on their parte they liue quietly and render to his Maiestie obedience and fidelitie as they ought in which doyng the King also will defende them that they shall not be molested or troubled by waye of Iustice or otherwise in their persons and goods by reason of things done during the troubles and before the Edict of Pacification of August ▪ 1570. And afterwardes be shall louingly admonishe them to continue no longer in the Error of the newe opinions and to returne to the Catholike Religion reconciling themselues to the Catholike Romishe Church vnder the doctrine and obedience wherof Kings his predecessors and their subiects have alwayes holily lyued and this Realme hath ben cares fully conducted and maintained Shewing to thē the mischiefes and calamities which haue happened in this Realme since these newe opinions haue entred into mens spirites Howe manye murders haue bene caused by such which haue fallen from the right waye holden by their Auncestors First they made them separate them selues from the Churche then from their nexte of kinred and also to be estranged from the seruice of their king as a man may see since his raigne And althoughe the authors and heades of that side would haue couered their doyngs vnder the title of Religion and conscience yet their deedes and workes haue shewen well inough that the name of Religion was but a visarde to couer their driftes and disobedience and vnder that pretence to assemble and subborne people and to make and compel them to sweare in the cause vnder the title of disobedience and by suche wayes to turne them from the naturall affection which they owe to the King and consequently from his obedience being notorious that what commaundement so euer the King could make to them of the newe Religion they haue not since his raigne obeyed him otherwise than pleased their heads And contrariwise when their sayd heads commaunded them to arise and take to their weapons to set vpon Cities to burne Churches to sacke and pill to trouble the Realme and fill it with bloud and fire they which went so astray to follow them forgot all trust and duetie of good subiects to execute and obey their commaūdements VVhich things if the gentlemen will well consider they shall easely Iudge how vnhappie and miserable their condition shal be if they continue longer therein For they may well thinke of them selues that the king being taught by experience of so great a daunger from the which it hath pleased God to preserue him and his estate and hauing proued the mischiefes and calamities which this Realme hath suffred by the enterprises of the heads of this cause their adherentes and complices that he will neuer willingly be serued with any gentleman of his subiects that be of any other Religion than the Catholike in the whiche also the king following his predecessors will liue and die He willeth also to take away all mistrust amongst his subiects and to quench the rising of discordes and seditions that all they of whom he is serued in honorable places and specially the gentlemen which desire to be accompted his good and lawfull subiects and would obtaine his fauour and be employed in charges of his seruice according to their degrees and qualities do make profession hereafter to liue in the same Religion that he doth hauing tryed that discords and ciuill warres will not cease in a state where there be many Religions and that it is not possible for a King to maintaine in his Realme diuersities in Religion but that he shall leese the good will and beneuolence of his subiectes yea and they which are of a
contrarie Religion to his desire nothing in their hart more than the change of the King and of his estate For the reason abouesayde the Duke of Guise to bring the matter to this passe shall take paines to persuade the nobilitie and others infected with the sayde new opinion to returne of them selues and of their owne frewill to the Catholike Religion and to abiure and renounce the new without any more expresse commaundement from the king For how so euer it be his maiestie is resolued to make his subiects liue in his Religion and neuer to suffer what so euer may betyde that there shall be any other forme or exercise of Religion in his Realme than the Catholike The sayd Duke of Guise shall communicate with the Principall officers and Magistrates hauing the Principall charge and administration of Iustice in Cities of his gouernment his Maiesties declaration to the intent they should know his minde and the good end wherevnto he tendeth for the vniting and quietnesse of his subiects to the intent the sayd M. de Guise the sayd officers and Magistrates should with one concorde intelligence and correspondence proceede to the effect aboue sayde so that fruit and quietnesse may thereof ensue such as his Maiestie desireth not onely for himselfe but for the whole Realme The Baylifes and stuardes which are not in Religion accordingly qualified shall within one moneth resigne their offices to gentlemen capable and of the qualitie required by the Edict which may keepe and exercise the same And to the intent this should be done his Maiestie doth nowe presently declare them depriued after the sayd moneth if they do not then resigne that they shall haue no occasion or colour of excuse to delay their resignations and yet permitteth them in the meane while to resigne without any syne paying All Baylifes and stuardes shal be resident at their offices vpon paine of losse of the same if they can not so be thē they shall be boūd to resigne All Archbyshops and Bishops shall likewise be resident in their dioces and such as for age and other disposition of person can not preach the word of God nor edifie the people and do other functions appertaining to their charge and dignitie shall be bounde to take a conductor to comfort them and to employ them selues to the duetie of their charge To the which conductour they shall appoint an honest and reasonable pension according to the fruites and reuenue of their liuing Also persons and vicars shall be resident at their benefices or else shall be admonished to resigne them ▪ to suche as will be resident and doe their duetie Archbyshops and Byshops shall take information of them which holde abbeyes Prioryes and other benefices in their dioces of what qualitie so euer they are and how they do their duetie in the administration of them wherevpon they shall make processe by worde vnto the Gouernours which shall sende them to the King to prouide therin as reason shall moue him They shall compell the Curates actually to abide at the places of their benefices or else shall appoint other in their steades according to the disposition of the Cannons At Paris the .iij. day of Nouember 1572. Signed CHARLES LETTERS OF M. DE GORDS the Kings Lieutenaunt in Daulphine to certaine of the Religion in his gouernement wherby the exhorteth them to come backe againe to the Religion of Rome how the King is determined to suffer none other SIr I am sufficiently aduertised of you behauior but you should remember what aduertisements I haue before sent you to returne to the Catholike Religion of your selfe which is the best hold and stay that you can chose for your preseruation and health putting from you all those which persuade you to the contrary who would abyde to see any commotion or disorder rather than abate any poynt of their opinion And by this meanes you shall make euident to the King the wil which you say you haue to obey his Maiestie counsailing you for as much as I desire your well doing that this is the best for you to do without loking for any more open commaundement otherwise assure your selfe there can but euill come of it and that his Maiestie would be obeyed And thus I pray God to aduise you and giue you his holye grace From Grenoble the sixt of Decēber 1572. Your entire good friend GORDES THE ANSVVERE OF THE Gentlemen Capitaines Bugeses and other being in the towne of Rochell to the commaundementes that haue bene giuen them in the name of the King to receiue garrisons WE the Gentlemen Capitaines Bugeses and other nowe being in this towne of Rochell doe giue answere to you Mounsier N. and to suche commaundementes as you giue vs in the name of his Maiestie that we can not acknowledge that that which is signified vnto vs and the Proclamation which you require that we should cause to be published dò proceede from his Maiestie And thereof we call to witnesse his Maiestie himselfe his letters of the .xxij. and .xxiiij. of August his owne signet and the publishing of the same letters by the which his sayd Maiestie layeth all the fault of all the trouble lately happened and of the cruell slaughter done at Paris vpon those of the house of Guise protesting that he had enough to doe to keepe himselfe safe within his Castell of Louure with those of his Garde And we shall neuer suffer our selues to be persuaded that so foule an enterprise and so barbarous a slaughter hath at any time entred into the mind of his Maiestie much lesse that the same hath bene done by his expresse commaundement as the paper importeth which you haue exhibited vnto vs nor that his Maiestie hath bene so ill aduised as himself to cut of his owne armes or to defile the sacred wedding of Madome his owne sister with the sheding of so much noble and innocent bloud and with the shame of so cruell a fact to disteine the nation of Fraunce and the bloud royall which hath heretofore euer among all nations borne the name of franke and courteous nor that he hath had minde to deliuer matter to writers to set forth a tragicall historie such as antiquitie hath neuer berd speake of the like and such as posteritie can not reporte without horror But that it was first layd at Rome and afterward hatched at Paris by the authors of all the troubles of Fraunce And howsoeuer it be we are readie to maintaine that out of the mouth of his Maiestie doth not procede hote cold white and black that he doth not nowe say one thing and by and by an other as he should do if the paper that you present vnto vs had passed from him protesting that he will inuiolably keepe his Edict and immediatly breaking the same in declaring that he commaunded those murders to be committed hauing also made protestation before that it is to his great griefe and done by the outrage and violence of
King had in manye Edictes before that time permitted the freedome of Religion yet this meaning euer was to reteyne and cause to be reteyned of all men the onely Romishe or Popishe Religion within his Realme After manie ouerthrowes on both partes giuen and receyued whereas the ende of this thirde warre was thought likely to be the harder by reason of the breache of sayth in the yeeres before and on the other side the state of the Realme by reason of the wast that the Cities were broughte vnto and the extreme pouertie of the meane people and husbandmen did require some treatie of composition the King sent messangers to the Admirall to signifie vnto him in the Kings name that the King himselfe had at length founde out a most sure way of peace and concorde namely that the armies of both partes ioyned togither shoulde goe into the lowe countrey against the Duke of Alua which had been the author of the late calamities in Fraunce He signified further that he had great causes of querels against the king of Spayne and this principally that he had inuaded and helde by force sodenlye slaying all the souldyers there an Island of the newfound world called Florida which had been taken by the French and kept vnder his dominion and likewise the Marquesdome of Finall the inhabitantes whereof had but a little tyme before yelded themselues to the Kings subiection and allegeance He said that the most stedfast band of concorde shoulde be that forein warre and that there could no other better meane be deuised to drowne the memorie of the former dissentions in eternall forgetfulnesse To the performance hereof he sayd it was a matter of most apte opportunitie that Lodouic counte of Nassaw brother to the Prince of Aurenge had been nowe two yeeres in the Admiralls camp to whome the Admirall gaue principall credit in all things and that by him and his fellowes of the lowe countrey and other whom he vnderstoode to fauour his part it might easily be broughte to passe that certayne Cities mighte be surprised and thereby great aduantage be attayned to the atchieuing of the warre The Admirall hearyng these thyngs was maruellously troubled For albeit he doubted not of the Kings fidelitie yet therwithall many things fell into his minde to be considered as the power of the Cardinall and the rest of the Guisians who were well knowne to haue ben at all times most affectionate to the Kyng of Spayne For the Duke of Guise had lefte a sonne a very yong man called Henry to whoÌ„ the Queene had giuen all the offices and places of honor that his father had borne before beyng vnfit thereto by age and against the ancient lawes and customes and also through the traiterous infidelitie of certayne of the Kings counsaylers whome she knew for their affection to Popish Religion to be most addicted to the Spanishe King and that diuers of them had great yeerely pensions of him and did disclose vnto him the affaires of the Realme He remembred howe hereby it came to passe that the same Kings Embassador whiche among strange nations seemed vtterly incredible was admitted into the priuie Counsell of Fraunce and that one Biragio â— Lumbard and as it is reported a traytour to his owne countrey otherwise altogither vnlearned and specially ignoraunt of the ciuill lawe was yet for the subtiltie of his witte aduanced to so great honour that he executed the Chauncellers office Michael Hospitall being displaced a man knowne to be such a one as there was not in all degrees of men any eyther more wise or more learned or more zelously louing his countrey Herewithall he considered the slaunderous cauillations of his aduersaryes to whome hereby might seme an occasion giuen as if the Admirall were of a troublesome nature and coulde not abide any quietnesse nor could long reste at home without some tumultuous stir Herevnto the messangers replyed as they were able and therewithall alleaged this cause of so sodayne hatred against the Spanishe King that one Albenie late returned out of Spaine had infourmed the King and the Queene mother for certaintie that King Philip a few moneths before had poysoned his wife the Frenche Kings sister and had spred rumors of hir thoroughout all Spaine such as for the honour of manye persons are meete not to be disclosed But nothing moued the Admirall so much as the cherefull earnestnesse of Lodouic of Nassaw who as sone as he was aduertised of that purpose of the King omitted nothing that he thought mighte serue to encourage the Admirall therevnto The Admirall perswaded hereby nothing fearing the infidelitie of those of the Courte gaue his minde to hearken to composition And so was the third ciuill warre ended and the peace concluded wyth the same conditions that were before that euerye man shoulde haue free libertie to vse and professe the Religion VVithin few moneths after this diuers Princes of Germanie that fauored the ReligioÌ„ refourmed and among those the three Electors the Paâ—sgraue the Duke of Saxonie and the Marques of Brandeburge sent their Embassadours into France to the King to gratulate vnto him for the newe reconciliation of his subiects And bycause they accompted it greatly to behoue them selues that the same concorde should remaine stedfast and of long continuance they promised that if any would for that cause procure trouble or make warre vppon him either within his owne dominioÌ„s or without they and their followers shuld be ready to defend him To this embassage the king firste by words and afterward by a booke subscribed with his owne hande answered and gaue his faith that he would for euer most sacredly and faithfully obserue his Edict of pacification Hereby so much the more willingly the Admirall suffered him selfe to be drawne to the sayd purposes for the low countrey although oftentimes calling to minde the nature of the Queene mother he vsed to say to diuers and specially to Theligny to whome he afterwarde maried his daughter that he greatly suspected the rolling wit of that woman For said he so soone as she hath brought vs into that preparation against the lowe countrey she will leaue vs in the midst Neuerthelesse the Counte of Nassaw writeth to his brother and they conferring their aduises together send messengers to the King that if it please him to deale with the matter of the lowe countrey they will shortly so do that he shall by their many and greate seruices well perceyue their affection and deuotion towarde him The King writeth againe to them in most louing termes saying that their message most highly pleased him and he gaue to them both his harty thanks About the same time Maximiliane the Emperoure pitying the estate of the Prince of Aurenge as he said treated by his Embassadours with the King of Spayne and had in manner obteyned that the Prince should haue all hys goodes restored vnto him but with this condition that he should haue no house within the territorie of the lowe countrie but
had stayed in a wardrobe adioyning to his owne chamber and caused them to lodge there al night A little afore day hearing of the running of men and noyse of armor and cries and killings they rose in hast and immediatly de Nance whome we haue before spoken of came to them and cōmanded them in the kings name to come downe into the court and to leaue their weapons behind them and lastly to depart out of the castle VVhen de Pilles sawe himselfe thrust out among the multitude of the murthering souldiers and beheld the bodies of them that were slayne he cried out with a very lowde voyce that the king might well heare him protesting vpon the kings fidelitie and detesting his trayterous infidelitie therwith he toke off a rich cloake whiche he wore and gaue it to one of his acquaintāce saying take here this token of Pilles and hereafter remember Pilles moste vnworthyly and shamefully slayne Oh my good Monsieur de Pilles saide the other I am none of them I thanke you for your cloake but I will not receiue it with that condition and so refused to take the cloake and immediatly de Pilles was thrust through by one of the guarde with a partisan and died And this ende had this most valiante and noble gentleman And then his body was throwen into the quarrey with the rest whiche when they that passed by did behold the souldiers cryed out there they be that made assault vpon vs and would haue killed the king Leranne beeing thrust through with a sword escaped and ran into the Queene of Nauarres chamber and was by hir kept and preserued from the violence of those that pursued him Shortly after she obtayned his pardon of hir brother and committing him to hir owne Phisitions restored him both to life and health VVhile things were in doing at Paris Strozzi which as we haue aforesayd was come with all his power to Rochell sent a great number of his souldiers into the towne vnder colour of a banket to be made to his friends in the castell called la Cheine but by reasō of the iealosie watches of the townes men by whom he sawe his treason was espied he went away without his purpose But they of la Charité which as we haue before shewed were trapped by the Italian horssemen taking lesse heed to the safe keeping of their towne were a little before night surprized and within fewe dayes after put to the sweard The next day following where any that had hidden themselues in corners at Paris coulde be found out the slaughter was renewed also common labourers and porters and other of the most rascals of the people and desperate villaines to haue the spoile of their clothes stripped the dead bodies starke naked threw them into the riuer of Seane The profit of all the robberies and spoyles came all for the most part to the handes of these laborers and the souldiers and to the Kings treasure came very little or nothing The onely gaine that came to him was that which might be made of the vacations as they terme them of offices and of places of Magistrates Captaines other romes of charge wherof yet he gaue a great part freely away to diuers of the court For the Admirals office he gaue to the Marques de Villars the Chancellorship of Nauarre after the murther of Francourt he by and by gaue to Henry Memne de Malassise which had been the truchman and messenger in the treatie of the last peace the office of the maister of the Finances after the slaughter of Prunes he gaue to Villequier the office of President des aides when Plateau was slaine he gaue to de Nully the other offices he sold as his maner is to such as gaue ready money for them For it hath ben the custome now lately of certaine Kings of Fraunce such as among forein nations hath not bene heard of to put to sale all the profits rights and benefites of the crowne and to kepe an open market for money of all iudiciall offices and of all the roomes belonging to his treasure and finances according to a rate of price set vpon euerie one of them and there is not in maner one in all Fraunce that doth not opēly iustifie that he bought his office for readie money and that no man ought to maruell if he desire to fill vp the empty hole of his stock againe And therefore iustice is throughe all Fraunce vsually bought for money though there be neuer so many murders committed yet is there no processe awarded to enquire thereof till present coyne be payde to the rakehelles and scribes This butcherly slaughter of Paris thus perfourmed and foure hundred houses as is abouesayd sacked immediatly messengers were sent in post into all partes of the Realme with ofte shifting their horsses for hast to command all other Cities in the Kings name to follow the example of Paris and to cause to be killed as many as they had among them of the refourmed Religion These commaundments it is wonderfull to tell how readily and cherefully the greatest part of the Cities of Fraunce did obey and execute But the king fearing as it was likely the dishonour of false treacherie and periurie sent letters to the gouernours of his prouinces and also speedie messangers into England Germanie and Switzerland to declare in his name that there was a great commotion and seditious stirre happened at Paris which he was very sorie for that the Duke of Guise had raised the people and with armed men made assaulte vpon the band that was assigned to the Admirall for his guarde and had broken into the house and slaine the Admirall and all his companie and houshold seruants and that the king had hardly kept safe from those daungers hys owne castell of the Louure where he kept him selfe close with his mother and his brethren the true copie of which letters is hereafter inserted But the same most mightie and by the consent of all nations commonlye called the most Christian King within two dayes after came into the Parliament accompanied with a great traine of his brethren and other Princes The counsell being assembled he sitting in his throne began to speake vnto them he declared that he was certified that the Admiral with certaine of his complices had conspired hys death and had intended the like purpose against his brethren the Queene his mother the king of Nauarre and that for this cause he had commaunded his friends to slay the sayde Admiral and all his confederates and so to preuent the treason of his enimies This his testification and declaratiō the king commaunded to be written and entred in the recordes of Parliament and that it should be proclamed by the heraldes and published by Printers And he willed a boke to be set forth to this effect that the slaughter of the Admirall his adherentes was done by the Kings commaundement for so was his maiesties expresse pleasure bicause they had
signe of the Aduenture Mossoner Crispine and Captaine Grise which were the principall of the faction in Burgundie and were the cause of the taking and recouering of the Citie of Mascon in the late troubles and of all the decay which happened in that countrey be kept prisoners in Mascon And bicause I vnderstande they hope to escape out by raÌ„some which I would in no wise should be done I ordâ—ine and commauÌ„d that you kepe them safe for as much as I hope by their meanes to discouer a great many things which greatly touch the weale of my seruice And if there be any other prisoners of the new Religion in Mascon which haue bene factious you shall likewise kepe them so that they escape not by paying ransome for I would not for any thing in the world that there should be taking of ransome among my subiects And thus my L. of Gwiche I pray God kepe you in his holy tuition VVritten at Paris the .xiiij. of September 1572. Signed CHARLES and vnderneath BRVLARD THE KINGS LETTERS TO Monsieur de Gordes his Lieutenaunt generall in Daulphine wherein he sendeth him worde that the best proofe of his doings is the accusations and complaintes of them of the Religion against him whervnto he shoulde haue care to answere M. De Gordes by your letters of the first of this moneth I perceiued the order which you appoynted in your Gouernement since the aduertisement which you had of the execution of the Admirall and his adherentes and since I am sure you forgot nothing which you thought might serue for your assuraunce of those places wherof you had occasion to doubt And to the intent you shoulde haue the more meanes to make your selfe knowne I haue prepared that the souldiers of Corsica which I had appointed to go into Prouince should returne to you and therevpon haue written to my Cousin the Counte of Tende who will not faile to send them vnto you for as much as there is no neede of them now in that couÌ„trey He should also send you word of the time of their departing to the ende that you might haue laysure to prouide to receiue them and appoint their places where they should be in garrison I haue seen that which you writ to me concerning the coÌ„tinuall payment in Daulphine what is due for the last yeare whervpon I will aduise of the state of my sines the meanes that may be and according thervnto there shal be no fault but they shal be prouided for For the reparation of the Bridge of Grenoble they of the same place must deuise the meanes wherin they should best helpe them selues therin and when they haue aduertised me I will appoint them necessarie prouision Touching the souldiers appointed for the Baron of Adresse bicause the occasion why I appointed theÌ„ to be leuied now ceaseth I haue written to him to send them backe and dismysse them againe wherfore there is no neede to make prouision for their maintenance nor likewise to tell you any thing else concerning the answeres which you haue made to the remembrances which they of the Religion haue presented against you For your doyngs are well knowne and plaine vnto me and thervpon I will take no better proofe than their accusation VVherfore you shall put yourselfe to no more paine on that side Moreouer I haue herewith sent you a copie of the declaration which I made of the Admirals death and his adherents made to be vnderstoode that it should be obserued and followed and that all murders sackings and violences should cease Neuerthelesse I haue heard complaints of diuerse places that such extraordinary wayes continue which is a thing that doth much displease me By the meanes wherof I aduise you in doyng this charge once againe put vnto you that you giue order throughout your gouernement to cause all hostilitie force and violence to cease and that the sayd declaration be straightly obserued and kept with punishing those that withstand so rigorously that the demonstration thereof may serue for an example seyng my intent is that they should be punished as behoueth and to marke them which wincke or dissemble therat This present letter shall serue also for an aduise of the receipt of those letters which you wrote the .v. of this present whereby you send me word that you receiued no message by word of mouth from me but onely letters of the .xxij. xxiiij and .xxviij. of the moneth passed whereof put your selfe to no further paine for that charge was only for such as then were neare about me which is all that I haue at this time to say vnto you Praying herevpon the Creator to kepe you in his holy and worthy tuicion VVritteÌ„ at Paris the .iiij. day of SepteÌ„ber Signed CHARLES and beneath FIZES And aboue To M. de Gordes knight THE KINGS LETTERS TO the Duke of Guise his Lieutenant generall in Champaigne and in Prye COusin although in all my former letters I haue giueÌ„ you to vnderstand well inough how much I desire that al my subiects as wel of the nobilitie as others which professe the new Religion quietly vse them selues in your gouernement should by you be maintained and preserued in all suretie vnder my protection and safegard without giuing them any hinderance by trouble in their persons goods and families yet neuerthelesse I haue beene aduertised that in certaine places of my Realme there haue bene many sackings and pillings done by such as dwell in the houses of them of the sayd new Religion as well in the fieldes as in the Cities vnder colour of the coÌ„motion which happened in my Citie of Paris the .xxiiij. day of August last a thing beyond all measure displeasant and disagreable vnto me and for the which I would haue prouision and remedie VVherfore I pray you Cousin that aboue all things as you desire that I should knowe the good affection you beare to the good weale of my seruice you take that matter next your hart to preserue and maintaine within your gouernment according to that which I haue so plainely told and written to you heretofore that all suche of the newe Religion which behaue them selues quietly take no wrong or violence whether it be for the preseruation of of their goodes or persons no more than to my Catholike subiectes And where any wrong or outrage shal be offred them against my will as I baue before declared so doe I nowe by these presentes declare I will and intende that you shall make some euident and notorious punishment of such as are herein culpable so that their correction may serue for an example of all other that I may see my self throughly obeyd herein as I would be and my commaundementes receyued amongest all my Subiects in another sorte than they haue bene heretofore Assuring you cousin that the beste newes that I shall receiue from you shall bee to beare say that you chastise those well of whome I am disobeyed And thus Cousin I praye God to
¶ A true and plaine report of the Furious outrages of Fraunce the horrible and shameful slaughter of CHASTILLION the Admirall and diuers other Noble and excellent men and of the wicked and straunge murder of godlie persons committed in many Cities of Fraunce without any respect of sorte kinde age or degree By ERNEST VARAMVND OF FRESELAND ¶ AT STRIVELING in Scotlande 1573. TO THE READER YOu must ceasse to maruell my good cuntreymen of Scotland that I haue caused this booke printed in our cuntrey of ScotlaÌ„d to be published altogither in the English phrase orthographie For the language is vvel enough knovvne to our cuÌ„treymeÌ„ And the chief cause of my translating it was for our good neighbors the EnglishmeÌ„ to whoÌ„ we are so hiely bound vpon whose good Queene at this present in policie dependeth the chiefe â—â—aye of Gods Churche in Christendome I knovv not vvhatrespects haue stayed the learned of that land from setting out this historie Therfore supposing the causes to be such as I conceiue them I haue ben bolde to set it forthe in their language in our cuntrey And you good cuntreymeÌ„ that haue receiued so honorable succors from England and froÌ„ vvhenceal Christendome hopeth for charitable assistaÌ„ce must be content to yelde that this is framed to serue their vnderstanding Ye Englishmen our good neighbors frends brethreÌ„ and patrons I pray you conster rightly of my labour that my purpose is not here to offend any amitie nor violate any honor nor preiudice any truth but to set before you astorie as I found it referring the confirmation thereof to truth and prooues as in all historicall cases is lavvfully vsed How many histories written in Latine Italian French by Iouius Paradine Belleforest and other are printed in Italie Fraunce and Flaunders and published freely had and read in your land although they contain matter expresly to the sclander of your state and princes Matters of that nature are published the burden of prouing resteth vpon the author the iudgement pertaineth to the reader there is no preiudice to anye part Bokes are extant on both parts The very treatises of diuinitie are not al vvaraÌ„ted that be printed you must take it as it is onely for matter of reporte on the one parte so farre to binde credit as it carieth euidence to furnish your vnderstandings as other bokes do that make rehearsals of the actes states of princes coÌ„moÌ„ weales and peoples But howsoeuer it be good Englishmen thanke God that you haue such a soueraigne vnder vvhoÌ„ you suffer no such things by the noble sincere aide that your good Queene hath giuen vs in Scotland I pray you gather a comsortable confideÌ„ce that in respect of such honorable charitie to his church in Scotland god vvil not suffer you at your nede to be succorlesse in England as by dayly miracles in preseruing your Queene he hath plainly shevved and the rather ye may trust hereof if ye be thankeful and faithful to God hir that ye pray hartily to God either by mediate operation of your Queenes iustice or by his ovvne immediate hand vvorking to deliuer his church people froÌ„ the coÌ„mon perill to both these realms to the state of al true religioÌ„ in christeÌ„dome Farewel and God long preserue bothe your good and oure hopeful soueraigne to his glory Amen A declaration of the furious outrages of Fraunce vvith the slaughter of the Admiral IT were to be wished that the memorie of the fresh slaughters and of that butcherly murthering that hathe lately bene committed in a manner in all the townes of Fraunce were vtterly put out of the minds of men for so great dishonor and so greate infamie hath thereby stayned the whole FreÌ„ch nation that the most part of them are now ashamed of their owne countrey defiled with two most filthy spottes falsehode and crueltie of the which whether hath bene the greater it is hard to say But forasmuche as there flee euery where abroade Pamphlets written by flatterers of the Courte and men corruptly hired for reward which do most shamefully set out things sayned and falsely imagined in stead of truth I thoughte my selfe bound to do this seruice to posteritie to put the matter in writing as it was truely done in dede being wel enabled to haue know ledge thereof both by mine owne calamitie and by those that with their owne eyes beheld a great part of the same slaughters In the yeare of our Lord. 1561. when there seemed to be some perill of troubles to arise by reason of the multitude of suche as embraced the Religion which they cal reformed for before that time the vsuall manner of punishing such as durst professe that Religion was besides losse and forfeyture of all their goods to the Kings vse to burne their bodies at the request of the great Lordes and nobilitie there was holden an assemblie of the estates in the Kings house at Saint Germaines in Lay neare to the towne of Paris at which assemblie in presence and with the royall assente of King Charles the ninth which now raigneth it was decreed that from thencefoorth it shoulde not be preiudicaill to any man to professe the said Religion and that it should be leefull for theÌ„ to haue publique metings and preachings for the exercise thereof but in the suburbs of townes only At this assemblie Francis Duke of Guise being descended of the house of Loraine and at that time Grand master of the Kings houshold was not present But when he was enformed of this decree he boyled with incredible sorow and anger and within few dayes after at a little town in Champagne called Vassey while the professors of the saide Religion were there at a Sermon he accompanied with a band of souldiers set vppon them and slewe men and women to the number of two hundreth There was amoÌ„g these of the Religion for so hereafter according to the vsuall phrase of the french tong we intend to call them Lewes of Burbon of the bloud royall commonly called Prince of Conde after the name of a certaine towne a man of great power by reason of his kinred to the king Therefore when the Duke of Guise most vehemently striued against that lawe and as much as in him lay did vtterly ouerthrowe it and troubled the common quiet thereby stablished Gaspar de Coligni Admirall of France and Francis d'Andelot his brother Captaine of the Fantarie and other Princes noble men and Gentlemen of the same Religion come dayly by heapes to the Prince of Conde to complaine of the outragious boldnesse and vntemperate violence of the Duke of Guise At that time Catherine de Medices Pope Clements brothers daughter and mother of King Charles borne in Florence a Citie of Italie had the gouernance of the Realme in the Kings minoritie For though by the lawe of Fraunce neither the inheritance nor the administration of the realme is graunted to women yet through the cowardly negligence
of Anthonie King of Nauarre the said Catherine de Medices the kings mother against the custome of the realme was ioyned with him in that office of protectorship She fearing the presumption and fierce pride of the Guisians wrote to the Prince of Conde with hir owne haÌ„d which letters are yet remayning and at the assemblie of the Princes of Germanie at Franckforde holdeÌ„ vnder Ferdinand the Emperoure were produced and openly read about ten yeares past wherein she earnestly besought him in so gret hardnesse and distresse not to forsake hir but to account both the mother and the children that is both hir selfe and the King and the Kings brethren committed to his faith and naturall kindnesse and that he should with all speede prouide for their common safetie assuring him that she would so imprint in the Kings mind his trauell taken in that behalfe that he should neuer be loser by it VVithin few dayes after the Duke of Guise wel knowing how great authoritie the name of the King would carie in Fraunce and to the intent that he would not seeme to attempt anyâ—thing rather of his owne head than by the priuitie of the King and hauing atteyned fit partners to ioyne with him in these enterprises he got the King into his power VVhich thing being knowne abrode and manye hard encombrances therevpon sodaynely rising and a great part of the nobilitie of Fraunce maruellously troubled with it the Prince of Conde by aduise of his friends thought it best for him to take certaine townes and furnishe them with garrisons which was the beginning of the first ciuill warre For the Prince of Conde alleaged the cause of his taking armour to be the defence of the Kings Edict wherein consisted the safetie of the common weale and that it could not be repealed without most assured vndoyng of the nation of Fraunce and destruction of the nobilitie by reason of the exceeding great multitude of those that daylie ioyned themselues to that Religion Of which number suche as being of noble birthe were in power dignitie wealth and credite aboue the rest thoughte it not meete for them to suffer the punishments and crueltie accustomed to be extended vpon the prâ—fessors thereof beside that they helde them discontented that the Duke of Guise a newe come a straunger translated from the forests of Loraine into Fraunce did take vpoÌ„ him in Fraunce so great courage and so high dominion power Therto was added the Queenâ— mothers singular care as was reported for conseruation of peace and repressing the rage of the Guisians Vpon which opinion it is certayne that aboue twentie thousande men hauing regarde onelye to the Queenes inclination ioyned themselues to the side of those of the Religion and to the defence of their profession whiche at that time had besieged the force of the Kings power After certayne battayles and manye losses on both partes and the Duke of Guise slaine within a yeere peace was made with this condition that they of the Religion shoulde haue free libertie thereof and shoulde haue assemblies and preachings for the exercise of the same in certeyne places This peace continued in force but not in all places during fyue yeeres for in the most townes iurisdictions the Officers that were affectionate to the Romishe side whom they commonly call Catholikes did all the displeasures they could to those of the ReligioÌ„ Therfore when Ferdinando Aluares de Toledâ— commonly called Duke of Alua was leading an armie not farre from the frontiers of Fraunce against those of the lowe countrey which embraced the reformed Religion againste the wyll of the Kyng of Spayne the Queene mother caused to be leuied and brought into Fraunce sixe thousande Switzers for a defence as she caused it to be bruted but as the successe hath proued for this intent that the Prince of Conde the Admirall and other noble men of the Religion if they escaped the treasons prepared for them and listed to defende themselues by force and trie it by battayle might be sodaynely oppressed ere they were prouided For the courtiers whiche then had the managing of these matters dyd not at that time well trust the souldiers of Fraunce Many things pertayning to the course of that time and the renewing of the warre must here for hast to our present purpose be necessarily omitted VVheÌ„ the warre had endured about sixe moneths peâ—ce was made with the same coÌ„ditions that we haue aboue rehearsed that all men should haue free libertie to follow and professe the Religion reformed For this was euer one and the last condition vpon all the warres But within fewe dayes or monethes after it was playnly vnderstoode that the same peace was full of guile and treason and finally that it was no peace but most cruell warre cloaked vnder the name of peace For forthwyth all those townes which they of the Religion had yelded vp were possessed and strengthened with garrisons of souldiers of the contrary side sauing onely one towne on the sea coast in the partes of Xantoigne commonly called Rochell For the men of that towne aboute two hundreth yeares past had yelded themselues to the Kings power and allegeance with this condition that they should neuer be constrayned agaynst their will to receyue any garrison souldiers Also the Prince of Conde and the Admirall were aduertised that there was treason agayne prepared to entrap them by Tauaignes a man giueÌ„ to murther and mischiefe which had lately bene made Marshall of Fraunce and that if they did not spedely auoyde the same it should shortly come to passe that they should be deceyued and taken by him and deliuered vp to the crueltie of their aduersaries Vâ— on the receyt of these aduertisementes they immediatly make hast to Rochell carying with them their wiues and yong childreÌ„ which was the beginning of the third ciuill warre the most sharpe and miserable of all the rest There was at that time in the court Charles Cardinall of Loraine brother to the Duke of Guise which as is aboue sayde was slayne in the first warre one accompted most subtill and craftie of all the rest but of a terrible cruell and troublesome disposition so as he was thought intollerable euen at Rome it selfe This man they of the reformed Religion reported to be the moste sharpe and hatefull enimye of their profession and him they abhorred aboue all other for the crueltie of his nature and named him the firebrande of all ciuill flames He at the beginning of the third ciuill warre persuaded the King to publish an Edict that no man professe any Religion but the Romishe or Popish and that whosoeuer wold embrace any other should be compted as traytours In that same Edict Printed at Paris this sentence was expressely conteyned and for the strangenesse of the matter and for that it stayned the Kyngs name with the most dishonorable spot of periurie and breache of faith it was in other impressions afterwarde omitted And it was further then declared that albeit the
settling his residence and dwelling elsewhere he shoulde freely enioy all his reuenewes VVhich matter being reported to the French King he immediatly sent messengers to the Prince of AureÌ„ge willing him to loke for nothing by that dealing of the Emperour saying that it was but a fraud and guilefull deuise intended for this purpose only to breake vp his leuying of souldiors that he had begon in Germanie and assuring him that if he woulde credite and followe him hee would giue him ayde sufficient to recouer hys estate The Prince of Aurenge perswaded by these promises of King Charles continued his musters and determined a while to bear the charges thogh they were heauie to him while such things as were necessarie for the warre were in preparing In the meane time Lodouic in disguised apparell went to Paris to the king Forasmuch as the season of the yeare by this time seemed not commodious to leuie an armie for the winter was at hande by assent they deferred the matter till the next sommer These things thus hanging the Prince of Aurenge his capitaynes by sea did oftentymes set vpon the Spaniards and Portingals such ships as they toke they brought into the hauen of Rochell which then was in the power of the Prince of Condees part and there they openly vttered and solde their prizes to the men of the towne and other merchantes of Fraunce wherevppon the Embassadoure of Spayne made often complaintes to the Kings priuie councell And forasmuche as they thought it very auaylable to this enterprise that Elizabeth Queene of Englande might be broughte into league with them the King comitted the dealing in that matter to the Admirall For a fewe moneths before the King had with most swete alluring letters gotten him to the Court where he was most honorably entertayned and to take from him all occasion of distrust vppon his aduersaries or of otherwise suspecting of the Kings or Queene mothers affection towards him first all the Guisians of a set purpose departed the court Then the King gaue the Admirall free libertie to take with him what companie and with what furniture he would and bycause it was thoughte that he had more confidence in the Marshall Cosse than in the rest therefore the King commaunded the saide Marshall to be euer at hand with the Admirall and to assist him in the Kings name if any nede were The matter of the league with Englande the Admirall so diligently and industriously handled that within short space after by Embassadours sent and by faith giuen and receyued and othes solemnely taken on both parts it was confirmed Concerning the procurement of other leagues and amities suche as mighte seeme to further the enterprise of the low cuntrie the Admirall also trauelled in the kings â—â—ame and by his commandemente and had in a manner brought all these things to an ende And of all those leauges the first and principall condition was that the libertie of ReligioÌ„ shuld continue and that the king shoulde most diligently and sincerely obserue this Edict of pacification Though these things seemed to be handled secretly yet by the letters both of Biragio the vicechancellor of whom we made mentioÌ„ before and of Moruilliers whom for his hipocriticall leanenesse children commonly called the Chimera or bugge of the Court and by aduertisements of Cardinal de Peiue a man most fit either to inuent or execute any treason they were caried to the Byshop of Rome who by aduise of his Cardinals sent by and by one of their number called Alexandrine in the midst of most sharpe winter into Fraunce with these instructions to perswade the king to enter into the societie of the league of Trent whereof the first and principall article was that the confederats should ioyne their powers and make warre vpon the Turks and Heretikes meaning by the name of Heretikes all those Princes that did permitte the vse of the reformed Religion within their dominions The Cardinall Alexandrine was honourably receyued in the courte but yet dismissed without atchieuing his purpose For so was it bruted among the people and commonly beleeued throughout Fraunce albeit he himselfe secretly seemed to returne very mery cherefull to the Pope and as it is reported did sometime say that he receyued such aunswere of the King as was needfull not to be published and that the King and Queene mother had largely satisfied him Forasmuch as it was thought a matter greatly auayling to the enterprise of the lowe countrey to sende certayne ships into the Englyshe Seas that if any ayde shoulde be sent into the lowe countrey to the Duke of Alua oute of Spayne it might so be stopped Strozzi and the Baron de la Guarde were appoynted for that purpose to whome the king gaue in commandement to rigge for the certayne ships of Burdeaux and Rochell well armed and well appoynted and to prouide with all spede al things needfull for those ships The Ambassador of Spayne somewhat moued with this preparation made diuers complaints to the kings counsell on the behalfe of the king his master and yet neuer receyued any other answere but that the king thought it not likely and that he wold send Commissioners to Burdeaux and to Rochell with letters and commaundemente that there shuld be no preparation made to the sea and if any had bene made it should be enquired of VVhat instructions were secretlye and closely vnder hand giueÌ„ to these two captaines of that nauie we do not certaynly know But this no man can doubte of but that they had commission to distresse all such ships wherein any Spanishe souldiers should be transported into the lowe countrey and that all this preparation to the sea was ordayned against the Spanish king and the Duke of Alua. And moreouer that the Admiral at the same time receiued commaundement froÌ„ the king to send espials into Peru an Islaind of the new found world most plentifull of gold aboue all the other now being in the Spaniards dominion to learne if there were any good enterprise to be attempted or atchieued for the getâ—ing of it VVhich matter was committed to a certayne gentleman one of the Admirals trayne who went thither accompanyed with a certayne Portingall a man most skilfull of those Nauigations whome the Admirall had ioyned with him by the kings commaundement and is not yet returned Nowe it can not be expressed how manye and how great tokens of most louing mynde the king at that time shewed to the Admirall and to the Countie Rochfoucault and to Theligny and to the rest of the chiefe noblemen of the Religion First all such things as in the former warres had bene taken away in the townes fermes and castels of the Admirall d' Andelot the king caused to be sought oute and restored If there were any other whome the king vnderstoode to be beloued and esteemed of the Admirall or to haue attayned anye speciall honour in the sayde late warres those he liberally benefited and rewarded To the Admirall
himself he commaunded one day to be giuē a hundred thousand pounds of his owne treasure in recompence of his former losses VVhen his brother the Cardinall Chastillion endowed with many great and welthie benefices was departed his life the king gaue him the fruites of one whole yeare Also the kyng wrote to Philibert Duke of Sauoy that he should do him a most acceptable pleasure if he did not onely deale more gently with those that in the former warres had ayded those of the Religion but also would vse clemencie and mildenesse toward all other that professed the same Religion within his dominions And for that there was old enmitie betwene the Guisians and the Admirall wherby it was to be doubted that perillous contentions wold arise in the Realme of Fraunce the king willed it to be signified to them both in his name that they should for his sake and the common weales giue ouer those displeasures and he prescribed them a certaine fourme of reconciliation and agrement the same whereof the foundations had bene layed almost sixe yeares before in the towne of Molins where the king calling to him the greatest estates of his realme after consultation and deliberation had vpon the matter pronoūced the Admiral not guiltie of the death of the Duke of Guise wherwith he was charged by the yong Duke of Guise and his kinsmen and so the king by the aduise of his Counsell had ended that controuersie Furthermore the Cardinall of Loraine who as we haue sayd was the very forger of all the former warres to take away al ielousie of new practises was departed to Rome toke with him his familiar friend the late created Cardinall Peluey one reputed a most subtil craftie persō vnder pretēce of goyng to the election of a newe Pope in place of the olde Pope then lately deceassed But there was none greater and more assured tokē of publique peace quietnesse than this that the king purposed to giue hys sister Margaret in marriage to the Prince Henry the sōne of the Queene of Nauarre which Prince had in the last warre defended the cause of the Religion and bene soueraigne of their armie VVhiche mariage the kyng declared that it should be the most streight bond of ciuill concorde and the most assured testimonie of his good will to those of the Religion Yea and also bicause it was alleaged that the sayd Prince Henrie was restrayned in conscience so as he might not marrie the Lady Margaret being of a contrary Religion a Catholike and giuen to the rites of the Romish Church the king for aunswere sayd that he would discharge hir of the Popes lawes and notwithstanding the crying out of all his courtiers to the contrary he permitted him that withoute all ceremonies in the porch of the great church of Paris the mariage shoulde be celebrate in such a fourme as the ministers of the refourmed Church misliked not VVhiche thing being by reporte and letters spread through the world it cannot be expressed howe muche it made the hearts of those of the Religion assured and out of care and howe it cast out al feare ielosies out of their minds what a confidence it brought them of the kings good will toward them Finally how muche it reioyced forreine Princes and states that fauored the same Religion But the Admirals minde was much more stablished by a letter which about the same time Theligny brought him with the kings owne hand and sealed wherein was conteined that whatsoeuer the Admirall shuld do for the matter of the intended warre of the lowe coūntrey the king would allow and ratifie the same as done by his owne commaundement About that time Lodouic of Nassaw with the Queene of Nauarre a Lady most zelously affected to the Religion came to the Frenche Courte The league was made betweene king Charles and the Prince of Aurenge and the articles thereof put in writing The mariage was appointed to be holden in the towne of Paris For whiche cause the Queene of Nauarre during those fewe dayes repaired thether to prouide things for the solemnitie of the wedding For the same cause the king sente to the Admirall one Cauaignes a man of an excellent sharpe witte whome for the Admirals sake the king had aduanced to great honoure requiring the Admirall to go before to Paris as well for the said preparation as also for the matter of the warre of the lowe countrie promising that he himselfe would within fewe dayes followe after him assuring him that there was now no cause for him to feare the threatnings and mad outrages of the Parisians For in asmuch as the same towne is aboue all other giuen to superstitions and is with seditious preachings of Monks and Friers dayly enflamed to crueltie it is hard to expresse how bitterly they hated the Admirall and the professors of that Religion VVherto was added a griefe of their mind conceiued certaine dayes before by reason of a certaine stone crosse gilted and builte after the manner of a spire steeple commonly called Gastignes crosse whiche the Admirall with great earnest sute obtayned of the king to be ouerthrowne for he alleaged that being erected in the midst of the rage of the ciuill warre as it were in triumph to the reproch of one of the Religion it was a monumente of ciuill dissention and so a matter offensiue to peace and concord The King well knowing this deadly hate of the Parisians to the Admirall wrote his letters to Marcell the prouost of the marchauntes whiche is the highest dignitie in Paris with sharpe threatnings if there should be raised any stirre or trouble by reason of the Admirals comming To the same effect also the Duke of Aniow the kings brother and the Queene mother wrote to the same Marcell and the rest of the magistrates of Paris so that nowe there seemed vtterly no occasion lefte for the Admiral to feare or distrust And within few dayes after the king sente Briquemault a man of greate vertue and estimation to the Admirall with the same instructiōs saying that the matter of the lowe countrey could not well be delt in without his presence The Admirall perswaded by thus many meanes and filled with good hope and courage determined to go to Paris where so sone as he was ariued and had bene honorably and louingly entertayned of the king and his brethren and the Queene mother and consultation entred among them about the preparation for the low coūtrey he declared to the king at large how the Duke of Alua was in leuying of great power and preparing an armie and that if the king should dissemble his purpose it would come to passe that many thereby wold shew themselues slower and slacker to the enterprise and that nowe were offered greate meanes to do good whiche if he let slippe hee should not so easily recouer the like againe hereafter And therefore it was best to take the aduantage of this opportunitie A fewe dayes before Lodouie of Nassaw
wente secretly into the frontiers of the lowe countrey and toke with him as partners of his iourney and priuie to his counsell thre Frēchmen of great credite with the Admirall namely Saucourt la Noue and Genlis to whom the king had giuen in charge to see if they coulde by any meanes attēpt and possesse any townes bordering vppon his realme They gathering diuers other gentlemen into their companie went speedily into the lowe countrey the Admirall not knowing of it VVho as soone as he vnderstode of their going thether wrote vnto them that he much maruelled what they mēt saying that he well knewe there coulde be no power gotten readie before .xl. dayes end and that they should be wel aduised to do nothing rashly nor to ouerthrowe with hast their deuises that seemed not ripe to be executed The countie of Nassaw inflamed with the sighte and desire of his countrey and fearing the mutablenesse of the king did firste at the soden set vppon Valentiennes but being repulsed by the Spanish souldiers that were in garrison in the Castell he hastily departed to Montz and toke the towne being a place very strong by nature and well furnished with all things necessarye for the warre VVhiche thing beyng by reporte and messangers spred abrode in the lowe countrey and caried into Fraunce and Germanie both encouraged all them of the Religion with great hope and also seemed to haue now playnely and openlye deciphred disclosed the mind of the French king Moreouer Genlis returning to Paris when he had made reporte to the king of all the matter as it had proceded easily obtayned of him that by his assent he might leuie certaine bandes of footemen and horssemen of Fraunce and carie them to succoure Montz But by the way when he was entred into the bounds of the lowe countrie hauing with him to the number of foure thousand footemen and aboute foure hundreth horssemen they were beset by the Duke of Alua and the most parte of them distressed which thing was well knowne to haue ben wrought by the meanes of the Guisians which by dayly messages and letters aduertised the Duke of Alua of theyr purposes and preparation VVhich falsehod of theirs many most affectionate to the Romish Religion were highly offended with bycause a great number addicted to the same Romishe Religion were in that companie VVith this losse and with the rescue of the towne of Valentiennes the King seemed to be much troubled for he feared least his counsels being disclosed to the Spanish king would at length breede some cause of querel and warre Howbeit when he began to remember that a great parte of his secrets was already reuealed to the Duke of Alua he oftentimes resolued to vtter his minde plainely and to make open warre But he was withdrawne from that purpose by certaine men whiche the Admirall had long before conceyued that they would so do Howbeit he gaue the Admirall libertie to send whatsoeuer he thoughte meete to further the Prince of Aurenge his enterprise and as great supplie either of footemen or of horssemen as he could to the armie which the Prince of Aurenge had leuyed in Germanie VVhen the Admirall for that cause had made request that he might leauie thirtie troupes of horssemen and as many ensignes of footemen he easily obtayned it For the entertainement of these footemen it behooued to haue money wherefore at the request of the Admirall the king called for his Tresurer and commanded him to deliuer to the Admirall so much money as the Admirall should thinke meete and charged him that he should not in any wise after the vsuall manner of the accompts of finances write the causes of the receipt but only set it downe in this forme This summe of money was payde to the Admirall suche a day by the kings commaundement for certayne causes which the king hath commaunded not to be written and to thys warrante the King subscribed with hys owne hand Also the King wrote to Monducet his Embassadoure in the lowe countrey to trauell as earnestly as he could for their deliuerance that were taken at the ouerthrowe of Genlis which commaundment it is said that Monducet did most faithfully and diligently execute Not long before this Ioane Queene of Nauarre aboue mentioned died in the Courte at Paris of a sodaine sicknesse beeing aboute the age of fortie and three yeares where as the suspition was great that she died of poyson and hir body was sort hat cause opened by the Phisitions there were no tokens of poyson espied But shortly after by the detection of one A. P. it hath bene found that she was poysoned with a venomed smell of a pair of perfumed gloues dressed by one Renat the Kings Apothicarie an Italian that hath a shop at Paris vppon sainte Michaels bridge neare vnto the pallace which could not be espied by the phisitions which did not open the head nor loked into the brayne It is well knowne that the same man about certayne yeares past for the same intente gaue to Lewes Prince of Conde a poysoned pomander which the Prince left with one le Grosse his Surgion le Grosse delited with the same was by little and little poysoned therewith and so swelled that he hardly escaped with his life By hir deathe the Kingdome came to the Prince Henrie hir sonne to whom as is abouesaid the Kings sister was promised and contracted Things being as it seemed throughout all Fraunce in most peacible estate and the concord of all degrees well established the day was appointed for the marriage of the king of Nauarre which day all they that fancied the Religion esteemed so muche the more ioyfull to them bycause they sawe the King wonderfully bent therevnto and all good men iudged the same a most assured pledge and stablishmente of ciuill concord whereas on the contrary part the Guisians and other enimies of common quietnesse greatly abhorred the same marriage VVhen the day came the marriage was with royall pompe solemnized before the greate Churche of Paris and a certaine fourme of words so framed as disagreed with the Religion of neither side was by the kings commandement pronounced by the Cardinall of Burbon the king of Nauars vnkle and so the matrimonie celebrate with greate ioy of the king and all good men the bride was with greate trayne and pompe led into the Church to heare Masse and in the meane time the bridegrome who misliked these ceremonies together with Henry Prince of Conde sonne of Lewes and the Admirall and other noble men of the same Religion walked withoute the Church dore wayting for the Brides retourne VVhile these things were in doing at Paris Strozzi who as we haue said had the charge of the kings power at sea houering vpon the coast of Rochell did now and then send of his captaines and souldiers into the towne vnder colour of buying things necessarie and sometime he came thither also him selfe The like was done at the same time in another part
of Frāce by the horssemen of Gonzague Duke of Niuers nere to the towne of la Charité whiche hath a bridge ouer the riuer of Loyre and remained till that time in the power of those of the Religion by reason of the great number of thē there inhabiting This troupe was of those horssemen whiche the King hath accustomed to keepe in ordinarie wages in euery countrey whereof the most parte were Italians countrey men to their Captaine Lewes Gonzague to whome the Queene mother had giuen the daughter and heire of the Duke of Niuers in mariage They requested of the townesmen that they might make their musters within the towne saying that they had receyued warrante from the King so to do and shewed the Kings letters therefore At Lions the gouernoure of the towne commaunded a view to be taken of all those that professed the Religion and their names to be written in a boke and broughte vnto him which booke shortly after according to the successe was called the bloudy booke After the mariage ended at Paris which was the time that the Admirall had appointed to returne to his owne house he moued the king concerning his departure But so great was the preparation of playes so great was the magnificence of banquets and shewes and the King so earnestly bent to those matters that he had no leysure not onely for waightie affaires but also not so much as to take his naturall sleepe For in the French court Dauncings Maskings stageplayes wherein the King exceedingly delighteth are commonly vsed in the night time and so the time that is fittest for counsell and matters of gouernance is by reason of nightly riottous sitting vp of necessitie consumed in sleepe So great also is the familiaritie of men and the womē of the Queene mothers traine and so great libertie of sporting entertainment and talking togither as to forein nations maye seeme incredible and be thought of all honest persons a matter not very conuenient for preseruatiō of noble yong Ladies chastitie Moreouer if there come any pandor or bawde oute of Italie or any Scholemaster of shameful and filthie lust he winneth in short time maruellous fauour and credit And such a multitude is there begonne to be of Italians commonly throughout all Fraunce specially in the court since the administration of the realme was cōmitted to the Queene mother that many doe commonly call it Fraunce-Italian and some terme it a Colonie and some a common sincke of Italie These madnesses of the Courte were the cause that the Admirall could not haue accese to the Kings speache nor entrance to deale in waightie matters But whē they that were sent from the refourmed Churches to complayne of iniuries commonlye done to those of the Religion vnderstode of the Admirals purpose to departe they did with all speede deliuer to him their bookes and petitions and besoughte him not to departe from the Court till he had dealte in the cause of the Churches and deliuered their petitions to the King and his counsell For this cause the Admirall resolued to deferre his goyng for a while till he mighte treat with the kings Counsell concerning those requests for the King had promised him that he would shortly entend those matters and be present with the Counsell himselfe Besides this delay there was another matter that stayed him There was owing to the Rutters of Germanie whiche had serued on the part of the Religion in the last warre great summes of money for their wages in whiche matter the Admirall trauelled with incredible earnestnesse and care Concerning all these affaires the Admirall as he determined before hauing accesse and opportunitie for that purpose moued the Kings priuie Counsell the .22 daye of August which was the fift daye after the king of Nauarres mariage and spent muche time in that treatie Aboute noone when he was in returning home from the coūsell with a great companie of noblemen and gentlemen beholde a Harquebuzier oute of a windowe of a house neere adioyning shotte the Admirall with two bullets of leade through both the armes VVhē the Admirall felt himselfe wounded nothing at all amazed but with the same countenance that he was accustomed he said through yonder windowe it was done go see who are in the house VVhat manner of trecherie is this Thē he sent a certayne gentleman of his company to the king to declare it vnto him The king at that time was playing at Tennise wyth the Duke of Guise Assoone as he heard of the Admirals hurte he was maruellously moued as it seemed and threw away his racket that hee played with on the grounde and taking with him his brother in lawe the king of Nauarre he retired into his castle The gentlemen that were with the Admiral brake into the house from whence he receyued his hurte there they found only one woman the keper of the house and shortly after also a boy his lackey that had done the deede and therewithall they founde the harquebuze lying vppon the table in that chamber from whēce the noyse was heard him that shot they found not for he in great hast was runne away out at the backe gate and getting on horssebacke which he had wayting for him redy sadled at the dore he rode a great pace to Sainte Anthonies gate where he had a freshe horsse tarying for him if neede were and another at Marcelles gate Then by the kings commandement a great number rode out in post into all partes to pursue him but for that he was slipped into bywayes and receiued into a certaine castle they could not ouertake him At the sure of the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde and other the King by and by gaue commission for enquirie to be made of the matter and committed the examining thereof to three chosen persons of the parliament of Paris Thuan and Morsant and Viol a counseller Firste it was found that the same house belonged to a Priest a Canon of saint Germaine whose name is Villemure which had bene the Duke of Guises scholemaster in his youthe and still continued a retayner towarde hym Then the woman whiche we said was founde in the house being taken and broughte before them confessed that a fewe dayes before there came to hir one Chally sometime a maister d'hostel of the Duke of Guises house and now of the Kings courte and commaunded hir to make muche of the man that had done thys deede and to lodge him in the same bed and chamber where Villemure was wont to lie for that he was his friende and very familiar acquaintance and that Villemure would be very glad of it The name of him that shot was very dilligently kepte secret Some say it was Manreuet whiche in the thirde ciuill warre traiterously slew his captaine monsieur de Mouy a most valiante and noble gentleman and straightway fled into the enimies campe Some saye it was Bondot one of the archers of the Kings guarde VVhen the womans confession was broughte to
speede deliuered ouer the same bookes to those of whome they had receyued that commaundement After noone the Queene mother lead out the King the Duke of Aniow Gonzague Tauaignes the Countie de Rhetz called Gondin into hir gardens called Tegliers This place bicause it was somewhat farre from resort she thoughte most fit for this their last consultation There she shewede them how those whom they had long bene in waite for were nowe sure in hold and the Admirall lay in his bed maymed of hoth his armes and coulde not stirre the king of Nauarre and Prince of Conde were fast lodged in the castle the gates wer kept shut all nighte and watches placed so as they were so snared that they coulde no way escape and the captaines thus taken it was not to be feared that any of the Religion woulde from thencefoorth stirre any more Now was a notable opportunite said she offred to dispatch the matter For all the chiefe captaines were fast closed vp in Paris and the rest in other townes were all vnarmed and vnprepared and that there were scarcely to be founde ten enimies to a thousand Catholikes that the Parisians were in armour and were able to make threescore thousande chosen fighting men and that within the space of one houre all the enimies may be slayne and the whole name and race of those wicked meÌ„ be vtterly rooted out On the other side saith she if the King do not take the aduantage of the fitnesse of this time it is no doubte but that if the Admirall recouer his health al Fraunce wil shortly be on fire with the fourth ciuill warre The Queenes opinion was allowed Howbeit it was thought best partly for his age and partly for the affinities sake that the king of Nauarres life shuld be saued As for the Prince of Conde it was doubted whether it were best to spare hym for his age or to put him to death for hatred of his fathers name But herein the opinion of Gonzague toke place that he should with feare of death and torment be drawen from the Religion So that counsell brake vp with appoyntment that the matter should be put in executioÌ„ the nexte night early afore day and that the ordering and doing of all shoulde be committed to the Duke of Guise The Admirall being enâ—ormed of stirre and noyse of armour and threatnings heard euery where through out the towne and preparation of many things pertaining to tumult sent word therof to the King who aunswered that there was no cause for the Admirall to feare for all was done by his commaundement and not euery where but in certaine places that there were certaine appointed by him to be in armor least the people should rise and make any stirre in the towne VVhen the Duke of Guise thoughte all things readie enough he called to him the abouesayde Marcell and charged him that he should a little after midnight assemble togither the maisters of the streetes whome they call Diziners into the towne house for he had certaine strange and speciall matters in charge froÌ„ the king which his pleasure was to haue declared vnto them They all assembled bytime Carron the new prouost of merchaunts guarded with certaine Guisians and among the rest Entragne and Pnygallart made the declaration He sayd that the kings meaning was to destroye all the Rebels which had in these late yeares borne armes against his maiestie and to roote out the race of those wicked men it was now very fitly happened that the chieftaynes and ringleaders of them were faste enclosed within the walles of the towne as in a prison and that the same night they should first begin with them and afterward for the rest assone as possibly might be throughout all partes of the Realme the King would take order and the token to set vpon them should be giuen not with a trumpet but with tocksein or ringing of the great bell of the pallace which they knewe to be accustomed onely in great cases and the marke for them to be knowne from other should be a white linnen cloth hanged aboute their left arme and a white crosse pinned vpon their cappes In the meane time the Duke of Guise made priuie thervnto the Captaines of the Kings guarde both Gascoignes FrenchmeÌ„ and Switzers and bad them be readie to goe to it with good courage Shortly after the Duke of Guise and the bastard sonne of king Henrie commonlye called the Cheualier with a great band of armed men following theÌ„ went to the Admirals house which Cossin kept besieged with harquebuziers placed in order on both sides of the streate The Admiral aduertised of the stirre and the noise of the armour although he had scarcely ten persons in his house able to beare harnesse and in his chamber onely two surgions one preacher and one or two seruitors yet coulde not be made afraide trusting as he oft rehearsed vpon the Kings good will toward him approued by so many and so great meanes of assuraunce hauing also confidence that the commonaltie of Paris if they once vnderstode the King to mislike of their madde furie howe much so euer they were in outrage yet so sone as they saw Cossin warding the gate they wold be appeased He repeated also the other for keeping of the peace so ofte openly sworne by the King and his brethren and their mother and entred in publike recordes the league lately made with the Queene of Englande for the same cause the articles of treatie couenanted with the Prince of Aurenge the kings faith giuen to the Princes of Germanie some townes attempted and some taken in the lowe countrey by the Kings commaundement the mariage of the Kings sister solemnized but sixe daies before which it was not like that he wold suffer to be defiled with bloud finally the iugement of forain nations and of posteritie shame and the honor constancie of a Prince publique faith and the sacred respect of the law of nations all which it seemed monstruous and incredible that the king could assent to be stained with so outragious a cruell deede Cossin when he sawe the noblemen drawe neere knocked at the gate which as is abouesaid he was commaunded by the Duke of Aniow to kepe VVhervpon many applyed the olde prouerbe A goodly guarde to make the woolfe keper of the sheepe VVhen he was entred without in maner any difficultie he caried in with him a great companie of armed men and after those followed the great Lords Such as Cossin found at the entrie of within the porch of the house he slew with a partisan that he had in his hand VVhich when the Admirall vnderstoode he caused those that were about him to lift him out of his bed and casting on a nightgowne vpon him he rose vpright on his feete he bad his friends and seruantes to flee and make shift for them selues and to take no more care for him for he sayd that he was readie with most willing hearte to
render into the hands of God now calling for it againe the spirit that he had lent him to vse for a time and sayd that this violent crueltie was prepared not so much for his destruction as for the dishonoring of Christ and the tormenting of so many Churches the defence of which Churches he had at the potition of all godly men with his many daungers and calamities sustained In the meane time there came vp the staires into the hier part of the house one Benuese a Germayne broughte vp in the house of the Duke of Guise and to whome it is saide that the Cardinall of Loraine had giuen one of his bastard daughters in mariage and with hym came Cossin the Gascoine Attin a Picarde a retainer and familiar of the Duke d'Aumal one that a few yeares before sought to murder d'Andelot by treason and also one Hāfort an Auernois all weaponed with swords and targets and armed with shirts of maile VVhen they were broken into the Admirals chamber Benuese came to him and bending his drawen sword vpon him said Art not thou the Admirall he with a quiet and constant countenance as we haue since vnderstode by them selues answered I am so called And then seeing the sword drawen vpō him he sayde yong man consider my age and the weake case that I am now in But the fellowe after blaspheming God first thrust his sworde into the Admirals brest and then also stroke him vpō the head and Attin shot him through the brest with a pistol VVhen the Admirall was with this wound not yet throughly dead Benuese gaue him the third wound vpon the thigh and so he fell downe for dead VVhen the Duke of Guise which stayed in the court with the other noble men heard this he cried out alowde hast thou done Benuese he aunswered I haue done Then said the Duke of Guise our Cheuelier meaning King Henries bastard abouesaide vnlesse he see it with hys eyes will not beleeue it throwe him downe at the windowe Then Benuese with the helpe of his fellowes toke vp the Admirals body and threw it downe through the windowe VVhē by reason of the wounde in his head and hys face couered with bloud they could not well discerne him the Duke of Guise kneeled downe on the grounde and wiped him with a napkin and said now I know him it is he And therewithal going out at the gate with the rest of the Lords he cryed out to the multitude in armoure saying my companions we haue had a good lucky beginning nowe let vs go forward to the rest for it is the Kings commaundement which words he did ofte repete alowde saying Thus the King commaundeth This is the Kings will this is his pleasure And then he commaunded the token to be giuen by ringing tocksein with the great bell of the palace and alarme to be raysed and he caused it to be published that the conspiratours were in armoure and about to kill the king Then a certaine Italian of Gōzagues band cut off the Admirals head and sent it preserued with spices to Rome to the Pope and the Cardinall of Loraine Other cut off his hands and other his secret partes Then the common labourers and rascals three dayes togither dragged the dead body thus mangled and berayed with bloud and filth through the streetes and afterwarde drew it out of the towne to the common gallowes and hanged it vp with a rope by the feete In the meane time those of the noble mens bandes brake into all the chambers of the admirals house and suche as they founde eyther in theyr beds or hidden they mangled them with many wounds and so slaughtered them Of that number were two young children pages of honourable birth There was also the Counte Rochfoucault which for the excellent plesantnesse of his wit and for his valiantnesse was hiely beloued of King Henry and so seemed for the same cause also to be beloued of the king Him was de Nāce abouesaid commaunded to kill but he refusing it for their old acquaintance and familiaritie one Laberge an Auernois offred him self to the king to do it but with this condition that the king should giue him the captaineship of horssemen which Counte Rochfoucault had There was also slayne Theligny the Admirals sōne in law a yong man of singular towardnesse bothe of wit and courage to whome the king these many yeares had both in words and countenance made shewe of so great good will as that no man was thoughte to be more hiely in his fauoure He crying out that it was now grieuous to him to liue for that he had euer commended to his father in lawe the faithfulnesse of the King refused not the deathe offred hym And many other most flourishing yong noble men and gentlemen were euery where butcherly murthered in that streete Then the noble mens bands and Cossins souldiers went ransacking from house to house and the Admirals house and all the other houses were all sacked and spoyled euen in like manner as is vsed to be done by souldiers greedy of pray in a towne takē by assault and many by this robberie were of beggers sodeinly become riche men For the Duke of Guise the Duke of Monpensier the Cheualier king Henries bastarde Gonzague Tauaignes and the other great Lords did with reward of the spoile and bootie encourage the multitude to the slaughter and cried out aloud that this was the kings will. So all the rest of the day from morning to euening the rascall multitude encouraged by spoyle and robberie ranne with their bloudy swords raging throughout all the towne they spared not the aged nor women nor the very babes In ioy and triumph they threw the slaine bodies out at the windowes so as there was not in manner any one streete or lane that seemed not strawed with murthered carcases VVhile these things were thus a doing in the towne the King of Nauarre and the prince of Conde whome the King had lodged in hys owne castle of the Louure were by the kings commaundement sent for and conueyed vnto him But their company their seruitours of their chamber their friends reteining to them their scholemaisters and those that had the bringing vp of them crying out alowde to the Kings fidelitie for succoure were thrust out of the chambers and by the kings guard of Switzers hewed in pieces and slaughtered in the kings owne sight But of that number of persons slayne no mans case was so much lamented of many as Monsieur de Pilles in whome it is hard to expresse whether there were more godly zeale in Religion or prowesse in warre VVhereby hauing in the late yeares specially by the defence of the towne of Saint Iohn d'Angeli which the King then besieged gotten great honoure of cheualrie he was thoughte very well beloued and hiely esteemed of the king Him and Leranne the sonne of Odou by the French Kings commaundement which was not then vnderstoode whereto it tended the King of Nauarre
conspired to kill him and his brethren and the Queene his mother and the King of Nauarre And farther that the King did forbid that from thenceforth there should be no moe assemblies holden nor preachings vsed of the Religion After the kings oration ended Christopher Thuane President of that Parliament a man verie notable for his lighte brayne and his cruell heart did with very large words congratulate vnto the king that he had nowe with guile and subtiltie ouercome these his enimies whom he could neuer vanquishe by armes and battell saying that therein the King had most fully verified the olde saying of Lewes the eleuenth his progenitor King of France which was wont to say that he knew neuer a Latine sentence but this one Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare He that can not skill to dissemble can not skill to be a king But Pibrace the aduocate of the Finances made a short oration the summe wherof was to this effect that although the king had iust and great cause to be displeased yet he thoughte it more agreable with his maiesties clemencie and goodnesse to make an ende of the slaughters and common spoyle and not to suffer suche outrages to be any longer committed without iudiciall proceding in the cause and besoughte his maiestie that from thenceforth it woulde please him to vse the lawe which is well knowne to be the onely stablishment of kingdomes and empires and that there had bene alreadie giuen to the commonaltie too perilous an example to followe An arrest of Parliament with the Kings royall assent being made to that effecte there were immediately Haroldes and trumpeterâ— sent round about all the towne and an Edict proclaimed in the kings name that froÌ„ thenceforth the slaughters coÌ„mon butcherly murtherings shuld ceasse and that all persons shuld abstaine from pillage and robberie This being knowne there were diuers speeches vsed of this matter throughout the town and specially of learned men The most parte sayd that they had read many histories but in all memorie of all ages they neuer heard of any suche thing as this They compared this case with the horrible doings of king Mithridates which with one messenger and with the aduertisement of one letter caused a hundreth and fiftie thousand Romaines to be slaine Some compared it with the doing of Peter of Arragone which slewe eight thousand Frenchmen in Sicile which Isle they had surprised in his absence But yet this difference appeared betwene those cases and this that those Kings had exercised their crueltie vpon foreins and strangers but this king had done his outrage vpon his owne subiectes being yelded not so much to his power as to his fayth and credit Those kings were bounde by no promise but such as was giuen to the strangers themselues this king was with newe made league bounde to the Kings and Princes his neighbours to kepe the peace that he had sworn Those kings vsed no guilefull meanes vnworthie for the maiestie of a king to deceiue this king for a baite and allurement abused the mariage of his owne sister and in a manner besprinkled hir wedding robe with blood VVhich dishonor indignitie no posteritie of all ages can forget Some againe discoursed that though this cruell aduise semed to many Courtiers to haue bene profitable yet not onely the honor of a King but also the estimation and good same of the whole nation was against that shewe of profit They alleaged how Aristides did openly in the audience of all the people reiect the couÌ„sell of Themistocles coÌ„cerning the burning of the LacedemoniaÌ„s nauie although it must nedes haue followed that the power of the Lacedemonians their enimies should therby haue bene vtterly weakened Furius Camillus receiued not the childreÌ„ of the chiefe Lords of the Phalisce betrayed to him by their schoolemaster but stripped him naked and deliuered him to be whipped home with rods by the same childreÌ„ Pausanias hath lefte it reported that the posteritie of Philip of Macedon fell into moste greate calamities for this cause that he was wont to set light by the reuerend conscience of an oth and his faith giuen in leagues Some cited the lawe of the twelue tables Si patronuâ— clienti fraudem facit facer estâ— If the patrone or soueraigne defraude his client or vassal be he out of protectioÌ„ They disputed also that like faith as the vassall oweth to his Lord the Lord oweth also to his vassall and for what causes and for what fellonies the vassal loseth his tenancie for the same causes and fellonies the Lord loseth his segniorie Some saide that the right hand in auncient time was called the pledge of the faith of a king and that this if a king shall despise there is no communion of right with him and he is no more to be accouÌ„ted a king neither of his owne subiects nor of straungers Kingly vertues in times past haue bene reported to be these iustice gentlenesse and clemencie but crueltie and outrage haue euer bene dispraised both in all persons and specâ—ally in princes Scipio hath in all ages bene praysed who was wont to say that he had rather saue one citizen than kill a thousand enimies whiche sentence â–ª Antoninus the Emperour surnamed Pius the kind or vertuous did ofte repete It was a most shamefull by worde of yong Tiberius to be called Clay tempered with bloud They said also that kings haue power of life and death ouer their subiects but not without hering the cause and iudicial proceding that there cannot be alleaged a greater authoritie than the dictators had at Rome in whome was the soueraigne power of peace and warre of life and death and without appeale yet was it not lawfull for them to execute a citizen his cause vnheard Only theeues and murderers take away mens liues withoute order of lawe and hearing their cause VVho can doubt said they but that this so great outraâ—e so great sheading of Christian bloud is the frute of the curssed life of the courtiers For saide they nowe throughout all Fraunce whoredome and loose leudnesse of life are so free and vsuall that nowe the most part of the women of Fraunce seeme to be in manner common and the wicked blasphemies and continuall execrations and dishonorings of Gods most holy name and maiestie are suche as God cannot longer beare and true it is though incredible among foreine Nations that the catholikes of Fraunce haue prescribed them selues this for a speciall marke to bee knowne from other men that at euery thirde word they blasphemously sweare by the head death bloud and bellie of God and wonderfull it is that the King him selfe is so much delighted in this custome of swearing and blaspheming and this as it were a pestilente infection is spred abrode and common among the very plowmen and paysants so as none among them now speaketh three words without most filthy blaspheming and horrible execration of god VVho can longer beare the vile vnchastities the bawdes and
ruffians of the Courte Finally very nature it selfe doth now as it wer expostulate with God for his so long sufferaÌ„ce and forbearing and the very earth can no longer beare these monsters Nowe as touching the Admirals supposed conspiracie who can thinke it likely that hee shoulde enterprise any suche thing within the walles of Paris For in the Court there is continually watching and warding a garrison of the kings and at the entrie of his castell the guardes of Gascoines Scottes and Switzers are continually attending the king hymselfe both alwayes before and specially at that time by reason of his sisters marriage had a great trayne of Princes great Lords noblemen and gentlemen about him Moreouer it was well knowne that in Paris within three hours space might be assembled and put in armoure threescore thousand chosen armed men specially against the Admiral whom no man is ignoraÌ„t that the Parisians most deadly hated beside that the noble yoÌ„g men that came thither with the king of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde by reason of the mariage and brought wyth them their wiues their sisters and their kinswomen thoughte at that time vpon nothing but vpon triumph and exercises of pastime gaye furniture of apparell and ornamentes Finally at whither of these two times can it be likely that the Admirall attempted this conspiracie was it before he was hurt why at that time he found the king his most louing or at leaste his moste liberall and bountifull good Lord neither coulde he hope euer to haue a more fauourable soueraigne in France VVas it then after he was hurt as though forsothe helying sore of two so great woundes aged maimed of both his armes the one wherof the Phisitions consulted whether it were to be cut off accompanied with three hundreth yong men would set vpoÌ„ threscore thousand armed men or in so small a time could lay the plot for so great and so long and so heynous a fact for he liued scarce fortie houres after his hurte in which time he was enioyned by the Phisitions to forbeare talke Againe if he had bene detected of any such crime was he not committed to Cossin and to his keping and so enuironed all the wayes beset about him and so in the kings power that if it had pleased the king he might at all times in a moment be caried to prison why was not orderly enquirâ—e and iudiciall proceeding vsed according to the custome and lawes and generall right of nations and witnesses produced according to the form of lawe but be it that the Admirall and a fewe other of his confederats and followers had coÌ„spired why yet proceded the outragious crueltie vpon the rest that were innocent why vpon ancient matrones why vpon noble Ladies and yong gentlewomen and virgins that came thither for the honor of the wedding why were so many women greate with childe against the lawes of al natioÌ„s and of nature before their deliuery throwen into the riuer why were so many aged persons manye that lay sicke in their beds many gownemen manye counsellers aduocates proctors Phisitions many singularly learned professors and teachers of good artes and among the reste Petrus Ramus that renoumed man throughout the world many yong students executed with out hearing withoute pleading their cause without sentence of condemnation moreouer if the Admirall had slaine the three brethren who doubteth but that all countreyes al Cities all Parliaments finally all sortes and degrees of men would haue spedily taken armor and easily haue destroyed all of the Religion hauing them enclosed within their townes hauing iust cause to render to al forrein nations for their common slaughters and killing of them As to that which toucheth the king of Nauarre what can be imagined more absurde and vnlikely had not the Admirall him foure yeares in his power Did not he professe the same Religion that the Admirall did which of those of the Religion which of them I say as Cassius was wont to reason shoulde haue gained or receiued profit by the killing of the king of Nauarre did not the Catholikes hate him and the Admirall coulde not hope to haue any man more friendly to him nor by any other mans meanes to haue reuenge of his iniurie Lastlye in their houses that were slaine what armour what weapons were fouÌ„d by which coniectures iudges vse to be lead to trace oute a facte These matters wise men throughout the towne of Paris commonlye muttered But now to retourne to our purpose At such time as the Kings prohibition abouesaide was proclaimed at Paris not only in other townes as at Orleaunce Angiers Viaron Troys and Auxeâ—â—e the like butcheries and slaughters were vsed but also in the towne of Paris it selfe in the very gaoles that are ordeined for the keeping of prisoners if any had escaped the crueltie of the day before they were nowe tumultuously slayne by the raging and outraging multitude in which number were three Gentlemen of great reputation captaine Monins a man very famous in marciall prowesse Lomen the kings secretarie a man of greate estimation for his long seruice in the Courte and Chappes a lawyer neere fourscore yeare olde a man of great renowne in the Courte of Paris And bycause we haue made mention of Angiers we thinke it good not to omitte the case of Masson de Riuers This man was a pastâ—r of the Church and esteemed a singular maÌ„ both in vertuousnesse of life in excelleÌ„ce of wit and learning was the first that had layd the foundation of the Church at Paris As sone as the slaughter was begon at Paris Monsorel a most cruell enimie of the Religion was sente to Angiers in post to preuente all other that might carie tidings of the murdering As sone as he came into the towne he caused himselfe to be brought to Massons house There he met Massons wife in the entrie and gently saluted hir and after the maner of FrauÌ„ce specially of the Court he kissed hir and asked hir where hir husbaÌ„d was she answered that he was walking in the garden and by by she broughte MoÌ„sorel to hir husband who geÌ„tly embraced Masson and said vnto him Canst thou tell why I am come hither It is to kill thee by the Kings commaundement at this very instant time for so hath the king commaunded as thou mayst perceiue by these letters and therewith he shewed him his dag ready charged MassoÌ„ answered that he was not guiltie of any crime howbeit this one thing only he besoughte him to giue him space to call to the mercie of God and to commende his spirit into Gods hande VVhiche prayer as soone as he had ended in fewe wordes he meekely receiued the death offered by the other and was shotte through with a pellet and dyed Now to retourne to Paris the Admirals body being hanged vp by the heeles vppon the common gallowes of Paris as is aforesaid the Parisians went thither by heapes to see it And the Queene mother to
feare of many that beheld it runne warme and smoking into the next stretes of the town and so downe into the Riuer of Sene. There was in that fame Archbishops prison an aged man called Francis Collut a marchant of cappes and two yong men his sonnes whome he had eucr caused diligently to be taught and instructed in Religion VVhen he sawe the butchers come towarde him with their Axes he began to exhort his children not to refuse the death offred by God For said he it is the perpetuall destinie of Religion and that often suche sacrifices do betide in christian Churches and Christians in all ages haue euer bene and for euer to the worlds end so shal be as sheepe among wolues doues among hawkes and sacrifices among priests Then the old father embraced his two yong sonnes and lying flat on the ground with them crying aloude vpon the mercie of God was with many wounds both he and his sonnes slaughtered by those butchers and long time afterward their three bodies had knit together yelded a piteous spectacle to many that beheld them In the meane time Mandelot in iest and soorne as it seemed caused to be proclaymed by the cryer that no man shoulde committe any slaughter in the towne and that if any woulde detect the doers of any such slaughter he woulde giue him a hundred crownes in reward for his information And from that time they ceassed not to kill to robbe and to spoyle The nexte day after which was the first day of September the greatest parte of the dead bodies were throwen into the Riuer of Sene and the rest of them Mandelot to feede and glut his eyes and heart with bloud caused to be caried by boate to the other side of the water and there to be throwen downe vppon the greene grasse nere vnto the Abbey called Esne There the people of Lions specially the Italians of whom by reason of the maâ—te there is great store in the towne satisfied their eyes a while and did such spites as they could to these heapes of carcases and so exercised their crueltie not vppon the liuing only but also vpon the dead And there hapned one thing whiche for the abhominable crueltie is not to be omitted There came to that spectacle certaine apothecaries and among these bodies they perceiued some verye fat ones by and by they went to the butchers and told them that they did vse to make certaine special medicines of mans greace and that they might make some profite thereof VVhiche as soone as the butchers vnderstoode they ranne to the heapes and chose out the fattest and launced them with their kniues and pulled out the fat and sold it for money to the apothecaries VVhile these things were doing at Lions the king being â—nfourmed that diuers of the Religion had left their wiues and children and were fled out of the other â—wnes and â—â—ked some in the woodes and some among their friends such as toke pitie on them he practised with faire words to allure and call them home againe He sent to euerie part messengers and letters affirming that he was highly displeased with those slaughters and horrible butcheries and that he would that such crueltie should be seuerely punished and if the Admirall with a fewe of his confederates had entred into anye secrete practiâ—e it was no reason that so many 〈◊〉 should beare the punishment due to a few Many swetely beguiled with these worâ—es of the king and with the letters of the gouernours retired home againe to their dwellings and houses speciallye they of Rhoan Diepe and Tholouse There were scant two dayes passed when they were againe coÌ„maunded to prison where they were all shutte vp Then were murderers a new appointed of the most base and rascall of the people to torment them with all kind of torture and then to slaye them And throughout the whole realme of Fraunce for thirtie dayes togither there was no ende of killing slaying and robbing so that at this day there are about a hundreth thousande little babes widowes and children that were well borne that now fatherlesse and motherlesse live wandering and in beggerie Aboute this time the King caused to be proclaimed that such as had any office or place of charge vnlesse they would spedily returne to the Catholike Apostolique and Romishe Churche should giue ouer those their temporall roomes There was no towne nor any so small a village or hamlet wherin all the professors of the ReligioÌ„ wer not compelled either to go to Masse or presently to take the sword into their bosomes and in many places it happened that such as being amazed with the sodainenesse of the matter had abiured their Religion yet notwithstanding were afterward slaine And while these things were still in doing yet the king in the meane while sent abrod his letters and messages into all partes and caused to be proclaimed with trumpet that his pleasure was that the Edictes of pacification should be obserued and although they coulde not haue freedome to vse and exercise their Religion in open places yet they should haue libertie permitted them to retaine and professe it within their owne houses and that no man should medle with or disturbe the goods and possessions of those of the Religion And the same King which but fewe dayes before had by letters directed to all the gouernours of his Prouinces signified that his cousin the Admirall was slaine by the Duke of Guise to his great sorowe and that himselfe was in great daunger the same King I say now caused it with sound of trumpet to be proclaimed that the trayterous and wicked Admirall was slaine by his will and commaundement He that in fewe dayes before had by newe authoritie confirmed the libertie of Religion permitted by his Edicts of pacification the same king did now not onely take from the professors there of their offices and honours but also prescribed them in precise fourme of wordes â— fourme of abiuring and detesting their Religion VVhich things leaste anye man shoulde doubt of we shall hereafter set downe the verie true copyes of the sayde Letters Edictes and Abiuration THE KINGS LETTERS TO the Gouernours of Burgundie wherby he chargeth those of the house of Guyse for the murder committed vpon the Admirals person and for the sedition which hapned at Paris and commaundeth that the Edict of PacificatioÌ„ should be kept and reteined COusin you haue perceyued what I wrote vnto you yesterday concerning my cousin the Admirals wounding and how readie I was to do my endeuour to search out the truth of the deed and to punish it wherein nothing was left vndone or forgotten But it happened since that they of the house of Guyse and other Lordes and Gentlemen their adherents whereof there be no small number in this Citie when they certainely knewe that the Admirals friendes would proceede to the reuenge of his hurt and bicause they were suspected to bee the authours thereof were so stirred vp this last night that
feared by those which pretend to breake the Edict of Pacification and thereby would execute a reuenge of their long priuate grudge to our incredible vexation and anguishe of minde For this cause it is your part to giue to vnderstand and publishe throughout that Citie of ours and other places pertaining to it that euery one should quietly and peacibly kepe their houses without taking weapons in hande and offending one the other vpon paine of death and well and diligently to kepe our Edict of Pacification And if any goe about to contrarie this our intent and minde to cause them to be punished and rigorously chastised by penalties imposed on such offendours in our ordinances hauing a watchfull and diligent eye to the safegarde of that our Citie in such sort that no inconuenience arise in your seruice towardes vs as you woulde haue vs to knowe that you are our loyall and obedient subiectes Giuen at Paris the .xxvij. day of August 1572. Thus signed CHARLES and â—â—â—owe De neuf-ville A LETTER OF THE TREAsorer of the leagues of the Switzers written by the kings commaundement vnto the sayd Leagues of the same argument that the former letters were NOble Seigniours Monsieur de la Fontaine Ambassador for the King your assured and perfect friend confederate and I his Treasorer in this countrey hauing commaundement of his maiestie to communicate with you as with them whome he accompteth his chiefe and sure friends of a chaunce which lately happened in the Citie of Paris his owne person and court then being there wherof he receiued so much more griefé and displeasure bicause it befell on such a time as he least feared or loked for such a thing The matter is this On the .xxvij. day of August last the Admirall as he went from Louuâ—e was with an harquebuze shot hurte in the hande and arme whereof when his maiestie was aduertised he commaunded incontinent that search and punishment were had of the offendour and the authors of such a mischiefe whervnto when he had readilie layde his hande by his officers and committed the inhabitantes of the house where the harquebuze was shot to prison they which were the cause firste of the mischiefe as it maye easily be presupposed bicause they woulde preuente the inquisition therof heaping one transgression vpon another on the .xxiij. and .xxiiij. of the said moneth assembled a great troupe of people in the night and moued the people of Paris to a veryâ— great sedition who in a rage set vpon the Admiâ—rals lodging and enforcing the Garde which his Maiestie had set for the Admirals suretie and keping slewe him with certaine other gentlemen in his companie as the like also was committed vpon others in the Citie the matter growing in the verie same instant to suche an outrage and commotioÌ„ that whereas his Maiestie had thought to prouide remedie for appeasing therof he had much a doe with all his Gardes to kepe his house at Louure where he lodged with the two Queens his mother and the Spouse the Lords his brethreÌ„ the King of Nauarre and other Princes Thinke therefore ye noble Seigniours in what a perplexitie this yong and couragious King now standeth who as a man may saye hath helde in his hande thornes in steade of a Scepter euer since his comming to the Crowne for the great troubles which haue almost euer since beene in his Realme and therefore by the good and wise counsell and assistance of the Queene his mother and the Lords his brethren thought to enioy and establishe a more sure repose in his Realme and a more happie gouernement for himselfe and his subiectes after he had taken away as he thought all occasions of dissentions amongst his subiectes by the meanes of his Edicts of Pacifications and of the mariage of the King of Nauarre to the Ladie his sister and the Prince of Code to Madome de Neuers Besides all this to the intent nothing should be lefte vndone that mighte serue for the quieting of all things and especially for the Admirals safegard his Maiestie as euery man knoweth hath done his endeuour to the vttermost to appease and reconcile his principall and most daungerous enimyes vnto him And so God the true iudge of the Kings Maiesties good and pureintent brought to passe that the peoples rage being quieted within a few houres euery one went home to his house and the king had speciall regard to nothing more than to see nothing attempted or innouated contrarie to his Edicts of Pacification and the repose of his subiectes as well of the one Religion as of the other And for that purpose hath sent to diuerse of his Gouernours and Officers in his prouinces to loke diligently to the obseruing of his Edictes with expresse commaundement to holde their handes there that euerie one might peâ—ceiue that the chaunce at Paris happened for some priuate quarell and not for any purpose to alter his Edicts which his Maiestie will in no wife suffer VVhich is the principall thing noble Seigniours that his Maiestie hath commaunded vs on his parte to assure you and to let you vnderstand the daungers that depende ouer him and his neighbours not so much for this sedition for he trusteth in God that shall growe no further and his Maiestie wil kepe his Realme in as good repose as it hath bene since his last Edict of Pacification but for the great mustering and assembling men of warre in many places specially in the low couÌ„treyes where it is yet vncertaine on which side God will giue the victorie nor whether the conqueror will employ his force after his conquest VVherefore his Maiestie prayeth you continuing the good loue and intelligence which hath always bene bewixt the Crowne of Fraunce and his allied and confederate friendes the Seigniours of the Leâ—gues to haue good regarde to him and his Realme in case that neede shall require as he will haue to you and your prosperous estate if it be requisite employing in the meane whyle your great and singular wisedome to the preseruation of the vnion of the Nation in League which is the onely cause to make you not onely able to send succour to your friends but also maintaine your selues in estimation that you may be a terrour to your neighbours how great so euer they be his maiestie promising you in all occurrentes as much friendship fauour and assistance as you can desire and to be as entier and perfect a friend as euer your nation had any A DECLARATION OF THE King concerning the occasion of the Admirals death and his adherents and complices happened in the Citie of Paris the. 24. of August 1572. Imprinted at Paris by Iohn Dallier Stacioner dwelling vpon S. Michaels bridge at the signe of the white Rose by the Kings licence BY THE KING HIs Maiestie desiring to haue all Seigniours Gentlemen and other his subiects vnderstand the cause of the murder of the Admirall and his adherentes and complices which lately happened in this Citie